Joker's Ace
by Ami Quinton26
Summary: A really rotten day changes Jack Napier into the notorious Joker, the most frightening and bizarre criminal to ever set his bare feet on Gotham City. What will happen, however, when he reunites with Ellie, a woman who captured his heart?
1. Chapter 1

Joker's Ace

~*~

A Ray of Sunshine in the Dark

------------

Prologue- Well, it doesn't take a genius to know I ADORE Joker. He's been one of my favorite Batman villains long before I even knew who the other villains were, or even understood the whole Batman plot. Then I saw "The Batman" and found the greatest version of Joker ever....someone who truly not only looks seriously altered by chemicals but had a backstory that for ONCE showed Joker as an average, everyday guy that was really sweet at heart. But a terrible accident changed all that, and Gotham's biggest criminal was born.

But....even when insanity happens, does it completely rule out the former mind? Is Jack Napier really gone forever....or can someone remind him that life is not ALL bad memories and hardships? That maybe someone _really does_ care about him?  
And so....therein lies the birth of my story. It's been floating around in my head for a while now and since the characters have developed so much, it's time to write it down.

This story is going to have some very angsty moments (I never realized how much I wrote angst until fans pointed it out in my other stories....), but also some REALISM. I think it's rather far-fetched to believe what Batman said in "Two of A Kind" to Harley....that Joker cares for no one but himself. It's more like Joker _pretends_ he doesn't care about anyone else, by trying to completely detach himself from who he was beforehand. Joker is the culmination of a man who had a very sad, unfortunate life, despite the fact that he truly loved people and just wanted to entertain them. To be a clown, and make them laugh.

Well I believe there's a silver lining to every cloud, even for Joker. And while the storm will never completely go away, it has a chance at being appreciated by someone who sees past the lightning, and who can bring a little ray of long-deprived sunshine to his world.

The story will not focus too long on Joker's origin or Jack and Ellie's first meeting though, the point is to get to the time where Ellie meets him again as Joker, and it will get much more in depth from there.

However...don't be mistaken that this story will be all hearts and "sugar", if you will. It starts out normal enough, sappy romance and all....but that will change dramatically.

-------------------

It was such a beautiful afternoon in Rosebud park in Gotham City, with the sun brightly shining and the sky a vivid blue. Ah, Spring. Sure was a nice change from the cold and dank that seemed to linger from Gotham's winters. In fact, it wasn't surprising at all that this city had one of the hightest suicide rates during that season.

Jack sighed, straining to clear the ever darkening thoughts from his mind. Why was he so "doom and gloom" all the time? He pushed the cards around on the picnic table and gave up trying to concentrate on his game of solitaire, running a hand through his rusty blonde hair. Packing the well-loved deck back into its fading box he got up and decided to take a stroll down the walkway. As he walked slowly, he paid apt attention to the people around him. Many were smiling, having picnics on the manicured grass and playing with their children. Jack loved to see people smile, but he also felt tangs of jealousy plague his heart.

He might have had a family once. Except the one girl in high school he really had fallen for had ended up using him...only agreeing to go out with him because of a dare. It had broken his heart when he found out the truth.

Jack sighed again at yet another depressing memory and eventually plopped himself into a nearby park bench, decorated in ornate, gothic curves that were the trademark of this city. He decided to pluck out the folded newspaper from his back pocket and browse through it.

"Hey, is this seat taken?"

For a moment, Jack thought maybe he had just overheard some other people at another bench nearby. But when he looked, no one was there, and he quickly glanced in front of him.

A woman was standing there, smiling at him with the most beautiful, sincere smile he had ever seen.

A bit stunned in the moment, Jack blinked, unable to respond.

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt your reading. But I've seen you here once or twice, all by yourself and kinda looking lonely. Would you mind if I took a seat?" Her deep blue eyes had him in a trance, he found it hard to look away.

She was pretty in every sense of the word, at least as far as _he_ was concerned.

"No...sure...plenty of room." He grinned slightly and patted the empty space beside him. Wow, there was that smile again, bright and wonderful. She sat down gently and glanced at the paper he was holding.

"Anything other than the usual depressing junk in there?"

"Huh...no. I don't even know why I read the paper really."

"Oh, where are my manners?" She giggled, and held out her hand. "My name's Ellie Quinton, I work over at Isis just past the park..." She pointed to a large, grey office building that loomed tall several yards away past the park's borders. "....I was wondering if you worked there too, considering I've seen you here before."

She had? Jack wondered why he had never noticed _her_? How could he have missed such a stunning smile on such a beautiful face?

"Isis Life Insurance, eh? I...used to work there, Miss Ellie. Name's Jack. Jack Napier." He smiled bigger for her, more than he had in a _long_ time. "But I lost my job there when they started downsizing....my department was one of the first ones to go." He shrugged.

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that." She frowned, which instantly made Jack regret even telling her. "So, you're unemployed at the moment?"

"No...I got a job at the Acme Chemical Plant.....over there...." he pointed behind him. Just past the park's back gates was a huge, looming factory, with huge white smoke pillars rising up from its roof. "They needed someone to help with all the filing and indexing records and whatnot...I guess I should consider myself lucky, even though I really don't care for the place. But what are you gonna do? Don't have the luxury of being picky when there's rent to pay."

Ellie nodded, as if understanding him completely. Maybe she did. Jack would have beleived it. He would have believed ANYTHING about her, even though he had only known her for fifteen minutes.

He hoped this lunch hour would never end.

"Well hey, then I guess we're in the same boat. I'm taking a job that pays less too. It's a new city for me as well...." She reached down to grab her lunchbag and take out a soda.

"This is your first time in Gotham?"

"Yep..." She took a few sips, Jack noticed it was Mountain Dew. His favorite.

Two things in common now.

"I think it's a beautiful city, I love the gothic look. But....it's still kinda scary, ya know? It's so huge here and I don't know anyone."

_It's a good thing she doesn't know about the criminal history of this place yet....Gotham's high crime rate can be scary in itself. What is a great girl like her DOING here?!_  
"What about your co-workers?"

"Oh they're nice, they really are...but I still feel so alone here sometimes." She set her soda down next to her and returned her gaze on him. "So, Jack...how long have you been living here?"  
He thought on that...how long indeed...sometimes the years just seemed to blur in his memory, he hardly remembered one day from the next, so was his life....always alone...

"I think about ten years now. It sure has been a while."

"Ah, you're a regular Gotham senior, huh?" She giggled and he couldn't help but chuckle himself. Was that a faint taste of her sense of humor? He certainly hoped so.

"Well that's not necessarily a good thing....I have mixed feelings about this place. Sometimes I just want to leave."

Ellie looked as if she wanted to press for more answers, but she hesitated, probably thinking it was a bit much to pry on someone's personal life when you just met them.

_A nice, sweet girl who actually can treat someone kindly._

_Good lord, she's so out of place here._

There was a beep of a digital watch and Jack frowned, looking at his left wrist. Lunch hour was up.

"Hate to say this, but I best be getting back. Just got this job, wouldn't want to lose that one too!" He grabbed the paper, getting to his feet and glancing back at her with a smile.

"Will you be here tomorrow?"

She smiled again, and it seemed as if the sun grew a little brighter.

"You bet...Jack."

---------------------------------

Jack whistled as he headed home that night in his Chevy. It was something he really did enjoy about working late...getting to cruise the streets with little traffic and listening to his favorite tunes. He hummed to the melodies while tapping on the wheel, for once feeling a lot more positive. He hadn't even felt the need to take his depression medication and decided to skip it entirely.

Ellie. Ellie was the only thing on his mind. From the moment he saw her, he knew she was going to be someone special in his life. He made a left at an intersection and saw the familiar sight of his small apartment building. He pulled into his parking space in the garage and kept on whistling all the way to his apartment door.

It was only when he went to put the key in the lock that he noticed it was slightly ajar.

Jack felt both nervousness and anger as he slowly creaked it open and flicked on the light switch. He reached into his jacket pocket, feeling around for his swiss army knife that he had carried with him since he was thirteen.

He took it out and flipped open the blade, just in case.

There was no one there, but the place was ransacked. Tables and chairs were overturned, a bookcase had been knocked over, and broken dishes lie scattered everywhere.

_Fucking little shits...they even had to break the god-damned dishes??_

Jack sighed and then groaned as he saw the condition of his bedroom. Unfortunately, they had gotten smart and torn up the mattress....finding the wad of cash he had been storing away there.

_Dammit! I am so sick of this crap..._

Last year... it had only been one _year_ ago when he had gotten robbed back at his old place.

Now it happened again. Was it the same people? Could it have possibly been? He had moved from the northern section of Gotham all the way to the southern district where he thought he might be safer.

Yeah right. _Who the hell is safe in this god-awful town?_

Jack realized he was beginning to not even care anymore. He heavily sank down into his couch and called the police, though he didn't understand why he even bothered.

_Like they're going to actually do anything. Too busy chasing car thieves and stopping bank robberies that seem to happen every other minute here._

Jack sighed. He was going to have to move again...like it or not.

And maybe he should get a guard dog....a big mean Rottweiler?

A German Shephard?

_A freaking pair of hyenas?? THAT would stop them._

He laughed, already making himself feel a little better.

----------------------------

Jack was more than thrilled to see Ellie at the park the next day. He almost wanted to run up to her and give her a hug, but he had to remind himself that he had only _just_ met the poor woman. It would make a really bad impression if he ended up coming across as some kind of weirdo.

"Hi there, Jack!" Ellie stood from her seat at a picnic table and completely surprised Jack with a quick hug. "How was your night?"

Once again she lit up his day with her genuine smile, and he slowly took a seat across from her.

"Well.....not too great. But, it doesn't really surprise me anymore."

"Oh no, what happened? Is everything all right?" She blinked at him with what he swore was real concern.

"Got robbed. Kind of my own fault if you think about it, I kept telling myself to install a security system..."

"That's horrible! Did you call the police?!"

"Yeah, they came, took a look around, said they would inform me if anything "turned up". Which means I probably won't be hearing from them".

Ellie frowned, and Jack suddenly realized what a damned depressing jerk he seemed to be all the time. He kept erasing her smile, and it made him well up with immense anger inside.

_Jacky, cut that out. Stop blaming yourself._

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, don't worry about it. I'm planning on moving anyway, closer to the new job if I can. Besides the only thing they got away with really was some cash I was hiding ....it wasn't that much. I can start over."

_That's good, much more positive, Jacky. Now put a smile on that damned face._

Jack forced himself to smile for Ellie's sake, and he also forced himself to ignore the fact that once again that strange but very familiar voice was creeping into his head. He made a mental note to be sure to take his medication this time, no more skipping doses.

Ellie sighed and shook her head. "Why is it all the nice people have bad things happen to them?"

Jack blinked, unbelieving. It was the same question he had asked himself for years.

_What have I done to anybody? I'm just an average guy wanting to live my life like everyone else. But __**I'm**__ always the one getting pushed on the street without anyone saying 'Excuse me'. _

_Or the one getting robbed out of nowhere._

_Did the robbers attack any other apartments?_

_NO...just mine._

_I might as well put an ad in the paper that says, "Apartment available for robbery! Come in, make yourself at home, take what you like!"_

"I really don't know, but I think it only seems that way. There are pleny of good things about Gotham too, don't let me scare you off. " He smiled, and couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. He really didn't believe that, but he had to make her feel more certain about being here.

_Because you really like her, don't you Jacky? You'd say anything to keep her here._

He closed his eyes, refusing to respond to the voice, and quickly snapped himself out of it before she could notice his pained expression.

"Oh really, like what?"

"Well....why don't I take you to see the museum of art? Do you like looking at paintings? I find it relaxing."

Jack felt an incredible warmth fill his chest as Ellie beamed at him. "Oh I do! I love looking at paintings, and I've been wanting to see the musuem!"

"Will you be available this Saturday then?" Jack wasn't even aware of the fact that he was gazing at her with a goofy grin.

"I'm totally free this weekend! Thanks Jack, I appreciate this. It's good to have a friend in this city already."

_Friend? _

_I'm her friend already?_

_Yeah....friends. Of course we are. I wouldn't have it any other way..._

"Then I shall see you at around 2 o' clock? We can meet here and then I'll show you what train to take to get there."

"Sure!" Ellie looked at her watch, the long layers of wispy dark blonde hair swaying in the gentle breeze and causing Jack to notice how they seemed to glisten in the streams of sunlight.

"Gotta go, lunch is almost over. But I'll see you tomorrow at 2!" She grabbed her things and before leaving gave him another quick hug.

Jack smiled broadly. He didn't mind that at all.

No, he surely didn't.

---------------------------------------------

The musuem was breathtaking, and Ellie found it hard to pry her eyes from one painting to the next. She was particularly entranced by one piece that contained a garden scene with an old-fashioned couple from the Victorian era eating at a picnic, and surrounded by rose bushes.

"I take it you like roses?"

Ellie turned to Jack who had come back over, realizing she wasn't following.

"Heh, call me a girly-girl if you want, but I love roses, yes. Especially classic red ones. This piece is so lovely, I'd die to have it in my living room." She smiled and reached, tracing the rough painted lines of acrylic. "Thanks for taking me here, I'm really enjoying this."

"Sure. No problem." He couldn't help but notice there was a slight blush on her face.

_Heh. So sweet. So easy. You know Jacky you could----_

_SHUT UP!!_

Dammit. He had given in and responded to the voice. He was going to have to see his doctor again, maybe the medicine just wasn't working anymore.

Or maybe he needed a higher dose....

"Jack, are you ok?"

He nodded his head slightly and smiled at her. "I'm fine, just a little tired these days. Hey, do you want to grab a bite to eat?"

"Sure, where to?"  
"Oh, I know of some of the best hotdogs around just down the street from here!"  
"Oh-ho yeah! I love hotdogs, let's go!"  
Jack chuckled, he loved her enthusiasm, it was something so sorely lacking in this city.

And she liked hot dogs.

Three things in common.

After three hotdogs each loaded with chili and cheese, Jack and Ellie headed back towards the park as the sun was setting. Jack made sure to "escort" her best he could, trying to prove that not all chivalry was dead. Two days, and he already felt so close to her.

_Friends...I missed what it's like to be able to call someone that._

He helped her into her car and waved to her as she drove off.

Tomorrow could not come fast enough.

---------------------------------------

For a blissful three months, Jack continued to see Ellie at lunch time and the more they talked, the more he realized he was feeling happier than usual.

Despite the little "episode" with his....._old problem_ flaring several weeks ago, it had calmed and gone away until he was sure it was resolved.

_Hopefully this time for good. I only have Ellie to thank for that._

They had been great friends, but Jack wondered if perhaps something more was going on. Could he dare hope that this woman was interested in him on a level far more than just friends?

On this hot August day, he was about to know for sure. After work they agreed to meet again in the park and perhaps plan something for the weekend.

Jack was whistling again when he walked back to Rosebud, asking his boss if he could get out a bit early today. He strolled up to their favorite table where they always had lunch and found himself gazing up at the sky with a wistful smile on his face.

_She's so wonderful...everything about her....just perfect._

_She even laughs at my jokes._

_And that smile....such a wonderful smile...._

"Jack?" Ellie had arrived, silent as a ghost.

He started at the sound of her voice, broken out of his thoughts, but he smiled at her all the same.

"Sorry, daydreaming a bit there."

She giggled. "I'm getting used to that. So , what do you think we should go do this weekend? I think you've already shown me every museum there is in Gotham....along with the flower gardens!"

He clearly remembered those weekends too, these three months had been the best in his life.

Things were really looking up!

He was feeling so good, that he didn't register at first what came out of his mouth.

"Howabout we just go out to dinner?"

Ellie blinked, and that wonderful blush crept over her cheeks again. So slight, and barely noticeable...but _he_ noticed it, and he loved it.

"Why Jack, are you asking me out on an official date?"

She asked the question softly but in a mischievous tone, playfully grinning at him.

Jack tried to nervously apologize, but Ellie wouldn't hear it.

She put a finger to his lips, causing himself to blush.

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else. Where will we go?"

There was no mistaking what he was feeling now, something he never thought he'd ever feel again. It was like the time with the high school girl before he realized her true colors, but this was ten times stronger.

"Hm, well, there's this fanastic Italian place I know, real authentic cuisine. It's just a few blocks from here."

"Sounds wonderful! You want to meet here as usual?"

"No, I'll come pick you up at your place this time." He grinned. "At eight o' clock?"

"Eight it is."

Ellie smiled warmly, the gaze in her eyes speaking volumes.

Jack's said even more.

-------------------------------------------------------

That Friday night, Jack found himself working very late. The boss had asked him to do a favor and work on some older files that needed organizing, and well, Jack found it hard to refuse, since he offered double pay for the extra hours.

He looked up at the large clock at his desk, seeing the hour hand reaching 10 o'clock. Eh, what did he care? Tomorrow night was going to be the best night of his life. He was going to go on a real date with the greatest woman in the world.

It was actually starting to make him believe in life again after his wretched past. Jack had a brief memory flash into his brain of his parents...and how they ignored him...even when he cried and begged for attention....refusing to let the bad memory get the better of him, he got up and headed to the bathroom across the plant's landing, needing to relieve himself after holding it for so long. He was despearely trying to get the work done as soon as possible, but the task was proving tedious and getting on his nerves. He'd use the bathroom and perhaps grab a candy bar at the vending machine to try and fight the fatigue for a couple more hours, then he would so be _out_ of here.

Before he left his desk he grabbed a small picture of Ellie and gazed at it as he headed to the large and heavy security door, using his key card to beep it open. He walked out onto the landing slowly, walking over huge vats of chemicals a good distance below. The air carried an unpleasant smell of sulfur here, but Jack had gotten used to it and hardly noticed anymore.

At one point, the picture fell from his hands and he reached to pick it up. He heard a loud sound almost like a "pang" over to his left and gazed over his shoulder, but saw nothing.

Gazing back at the picture he smiled and absent-mindedly leaned against the guard railing.

_Ellie, sweet Ellie._

The picture was one he took of her at the Gotham Gardens. It showed her holding a boquet of her favorite red roses that he had gotten for her and smiling brightly at the camera.

She looked so happy....

_People like her are SO rare...._

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Jack heard the "PANG" sound again, but this time it was much louder. He felt himself fall back a little and heard the creak of the railing.

"Oh, shit!" Jack quickly recovered and got back to his feet, spinning around and seeing the bent railing.

"What the hell is this?! Some guard rail...do they even check over these things?"

He shook his head and was about to take the final few steps to the other side of the railing when an even louder "PANG" filled his ears and Jack felt the whole section start to give way beneath his feet. He screamed, grabbing on to the side and trying to find purchase, but quickly the railing was leaning to the right, pushing him directly towards one of the huge chemical vats below as it creaked under his weight.

_Oh my god...!_

Jack didn't have much more time to think or even react.

He only managed one small yell as he found himself falling in the next moment......and a gigantic splashing sound filled the cavernous room as he plunged right into the chemicals below....head first.

-------------------------------


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Chemical Bath

Ellie sat at their usual table, a sad look in her eyes and tapping a pencil on the wood slats. Where was Jack?

Eight o' clock had come and gone......and wondering if perhaps she had gotten the plan details mixed up, she had gone to the park to see if he was there.

But he wasn't.

Jack wasn't anywhere to be found.

She had at first thought maybe he had stood her up...but even the thought had seemed wrong. Jack would never do that. Ellie knew that even though it had only been three months, they definitely had a connection. She found it hard to beleive he would do such a thing to her.

Even more so, after calling several co-workers they said they had seen Jack on Friday but he had worked late alone. After that, nobody seemed to know where he was.

Ellie fought the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

Something was not right.

_Oh Jack where are you? _

She decided to wait longer, trying to let the sounds of the park's chirping crickets and tree frogs soothe her.

He would show up...he had to.

----------------------

For a while, there was an eerie silence in the chemical plant. All of the offices were empty, the corridors were bare....and the broken railing lie hanging in twisted pieces but not moving, as if some type of bizarre metal sculpture. The chemicals in the large vat directly below were still swirling back and forth from the impact, and gallons of neon green ooze had leaked onto the floor below, already starting to disappear into the drains. There were a few loud bangs on the side of the vat, and then a figure came bubbling up to the surface, hands followed by a head with all of the hair burned off.

There was a blood-curdling scream followed by the desperate scratching of torn nails as Jack tried to find something to grab onto and climb out of the vat.

His eyes were glued shut, he couldn't see anything and he could barely breathe, but he could definitely feel the burning...the intense burning that made him feel like he was on fire.

He tried to speak, but all he could manage were more garbled screams, and even those were fast becoming weak because the acrid sulfuric odor of the chemicals were quickly suffocating him.

He had to _get out_, and fast.

Or he would surely die.

_No, no...I refuse to die, not now, not here...not with everything in my life turning around...help me! Someone?_

_HELP ME!!!_

Jack continued to try and grab onto the rim of the vat, but his hands were burned, bleeding, and the chemical concoction was slippery, making it hard to get a grip on anything.

He opened his mouth, despreate to find his voice and cry out, hoping someone else was still in the plant who could help him.

Bad move. He found his head going under and he choked on a mouthful of the chemicals, feeling them burn savegely all the way down his throat.

_Oh gods, I'm gonna drown...I can't get out....please someone....help me..._

He felt his body growing weak fast, an incredible pain developing in his gut from swallowing the chemicals. He doubled over, sinking once more, and was just about to give up, when the voice returned.

_JACKY! Don't give up now!! There's the emergency drain, remember? The DRAIN! Pull the lever, Jacky!_

It was nearly impossible to find the lever when your eyes were burned shut and you were basically blind....but Jack kept searching around, his one hand now starting to show the tips of his bare knuckles as the chemicals continued to burn away his skin. Finally, he found the emergency lever, and with all the remaining strength he had, pulled it down.

There was a loud, buzzing noise and a red light flashed. The vat stopped churning and the chemicals started draining away quickly.

In a few minutes, he was on the bottom of an empty vat. The burning was so intense, Jack was unable to stop the pitiful, weak screams that escaped from him every time he even tried to move. But he had to get out, and after crawling slowly and aimlessly for several minutes, he bumped into one of the sides and felt what seemed to be grooves, from some kind of ladder. He felt a small hand rail on the sides.

A ladder was in the vat...probably for workers to use when they were building them.

He managed to surely and slowly work his way up the ladder, but when he got to the top he fell and landed into a heap on the floor.

Moaning in agony he continued to crawl, trying to find his way around but still unable to see. As he moved a trail of blood from his open, blistered skin streaked across the floor. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally managed to find the elevator. It took all of his willpower to try and reach up to push the button, and when the door opened he crawled inside and almost passed out as the doors closed behind him.

_Hang in there Jacky. You're dying, but I'll keep your memory alive, don't you worry._

_I...I don't want to die! I want to see Ellie again!_

_...it's too late Jacky, it's too late._

_I don't want to die! I don't want to die! _Jack felt tears building behind his eyelids and realized his eyes were open now...but he still couldn't see anything as the tears streamed down his burned face.

_I'm here for you Jacky, I'll take over. Don't you worry. _

Jack wasn't sure he liked the voice comforting him or not. It was a very playful yet eerie voice that had haunted him since his late childhood. His family had largely ignored him as a child and he had had no friends. Then one day this voice had entered his mind, after years and years of lonliness.

He never dared ask for the name, he was afraid of what it might say.

_My name? Oh dear sweet Jacky, don't you know? I'll tell you!_

_No, no....just shut up....oh god...the burning, the burning won't stop...._

_You've got to find the showers, Jacky, wash it off. Just do whatever I say, and you'll survive, but only your mind. Your body is dead, Jacky, but you'll be reborn.....as me! Isn't that wonderful?_

Jack found himself moving again once the elevator doors opened, continuing to drag himself across the floor slowly, and trying hard not to wonder what the hell the voice was talking about.

Suddenly he realized the lights from above were causing him to squint in pain.

_Why is it so bright?_

Then he could see, the images returning in fuzzy, painful beams of light.

_I...I'm not blind!_

He went to rub his eyes and yelped, the act only caused them to sting and burn even more. Oddly enough however, the rest of his body seemed to already feel less painful. Or was he just going numb from shock?

As Jacky continued crawling, now with the shower rooms in sight, he realized that was exactly the case. He felt a huge wave of nausea envelop him as suddenly he felt very cold and started shivering, and the world started spinning uncontrollably.

_I don't think I'm going to make it..._

He was mere steps away from the showers now, there gleaming stainless steel faucets looking like paradise. He had to get to the water and fast.....wash these chemicals off....

Jack heaved, another wave of neausea gripping him and causing his stomach muscles to clench so tightly he screamed, then gagged.

He was shocked but not surprised at the neon-green vomit mixed with blood that pooled beneath him moments later.

_How....am I going to survive this.....why am I even still alive?_

_Don't talk like that Jacky. Just get to the water and stop dawdling!_

Finally, FINALLY, he reached the showers and didn't even care that the water was ice cold when it started raining down upon him. It felt immediately wonderful.....in fact, he was taken aback by how fast the burning started to cease.

He let his tired and battered body sink to the floor, lifting his head to the spray and letting it get into his eyes, where the burning quickly stopped as well.

Then he felt utterly exhausted, all his energy quickly waning.

_Goodbye Jacky. Just go to sleep now. _

_I...what do you mean?? I've got to survive, I'm not going to sleep...I won't...fall....a...sleep....._

His eyelids growing so heavy he could no longer hold them open, Jacky slumped as if dead on the shower floor, the cold water raining down and eerily glistening from the light above.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-

The Inner Demon

-----------------------------------

It was Saturday morning, and Rosebud park was as crowded as ever. Kites flew high in the sky, children laughing and running in the playground, dogs barking and catching frisbees, and pleny of people picnicing on the grass. The sun shone high and bright, it was another hot August day in Gotham, with temps soaring to the 90s. Due to the heat, the park had turned on its large water fountains, causing some of the children to jump and splash in the water. It was perfectly allowed here and everyone was having a grand time.

All except Ellie. She had gone home for the night finally, after hours of waiting for Jack. Waiting by the phone near her bed she hoped he would call, but it never did ring. Now, she was back at the park and hoping maybe he'd show up.

"Hey Ellie, is everything all right hun? You look really tired."

Her large blue eyes glanced up to see her friend Kary that she had met at her new job.

She sighed, and shook her head. "No, not really. Jack still hasn't shown up."

Kary sat down to her side and put a hand on her shoulder. "Honey....maybe he _did_ stand you up...you've got to stop worrying."

"It's not that he just didn't show up...." Ellie narrowed her gaze. "....it's that no one seems to know where he is. Maybe I should call the police?"

Kary seemed as if she might argue against it, but then she nodded slightly. "If you don't hear from him in a couple more days, maybe. But give it a little more time...meanwhile, promise me you'll stop wasting all these hours waiting around, hm? You want to go have brunch with me?"

It took a while for the words to register as she had been watching the children playing in the water fountain.

"Yeah....I guess."

_Jack I'm so worried about you. I just need to know you're ok..._

--------------------------------

At Acme Chemical Plant, a Saturday meant the building remained empty. All throughout eerie silence remained....save for the sounds of falling water in the shower room. On the floor a nearly naked body lie unmoving, cold and still, with a few rags of clothing left.

The fingers twitched. Jack was not dead, but all night he had been in a severly disturbed mental state, talking back and forth with the voice in his head, which he no longer resisted.

_Time to get up now, Jacky._

_I'm not sure I can._

_Oh you CAN, believe me. The pain's over Jacky, __**now**__ the fun begins. But we have a LOT to do, so get movin, time's a wastin'!_

Jack wanted to protest but he forced himself to stand, slowly rising by pulling himself up with the towel bar, and groaned at his stiff, cold muscles. He reached to turn the knob and shut the water off, and felt his legs shake as he took careful, small steps. He still felt dizzy and sick.

_Where...where do we go first?_

_Well, I'd say you better find some clothes. Head back to the apartment and grab what you can, but you know you can't stay there. You'll need to find a new, better place. Not an apartment or a house, Jacky boy. That won't do for someone like me. _

Jack paused and stopped, thinking hard and mumbling to himself.

_An abandoned building maybe?_

_Yes, yes...something like that! Now, get a move on, and no more complaining._

Jack ambled around the shower room, squinting as his eyes still hurt from the lights. He walked into the bathroom and into one of the stalls, feeling the need to relief himself. He winced at the burning sensation and seemed not to notice, as he flushed the tiolet, that even his urine was bright neon green.

Stumbling over to the sink, he turned on the water and rubbed his face vigorously, now it was itching...and peeling.

_Well look at that, Jacky! You can start to see me now!_

_Huh?_

Jack focused on the mirror and he nearly screamed.

All his hair was gone. His eyes had turned a fierce red, as if he were some kind of alien. His teeth had partially melted and fused together, creating an odd, uneven appearance. He opened his mouth and saw that his tongue had started to turn a sickly, greyish-blue color. Trembling in horror he started to back up a few small steps from the mirror and looked down at his hands, noticing the nails had taken on the same hue. His skin was flaking off and he had become very pale.

"Oh god....what...what's _HAPPENING TO ME?!_ I...can't...even....recognize...myself..." Tears brimmed quickly and he finally turned away from the mirror, starting to run down the corridors, not knowing where he was going or caring why. He just wanted to get away, get away from that awful vision in the mirror.

No, that was not him. It could not have been him. Was the whole thing a nightmare?

_That's it, a nightmare!! I just fell asleep at my desk and dreamt the whole thing...and---_

Jack froze as he reentered the giant room where the vats where still churning away, save for the one that was still flashing a red beacon. Jack become entranced on the rhythmic flashing and it slowly began to sink in.

_The noise, that horrible noise....then I lost my balance..and.... OH MY GOD! It's REAL, it's all REAL..._

Jack sank to his knees, crying uncontrollably.

Hel felt an immense anger well up in him, and it frightened him.

He knew who this was.

_SHUT UP, Jacky, stop your bubblering! Do I have to do everything for you, teach you how to survive? You're crying like a wimp, a LOSER!!_

_I'm not a loser!! Can't you see what's happened to me, I'm a freak, a monster! Look what the chemicals did to me!_

_Why Jacky the transformation is not yet complete. You're like the ugly duckling that will grow up into a beautiful swan. It will just take some time. But it will be FUN, Jacky, you'll see._

_We'll have so much fun, making people laugh...._

_Making people...laugh? _Jack calmed down, looking around as if expecting to see someone there. He focused on nothing in particular, but in his mind he saw him, the voice, grinning widely.

_Of course Jacky, do I lie? We'll make all of Gotham laugh, and get our revenge doing it!_

_Revenge..._

_Sweet, sweet revenge Jacky. Just listen to me...do everything I tell you....and you'll see._

The voice deepened, darker and more sinister than ever.

_Joker will take care of you._

----------------------------------------

Jack waited at the plant until nightfall, then covering himself with a hooded jacket he had found in one of the lockers, he went outside and tried to remain unseen as he headed home. Occassionally he ran into a homeless person or two as he swiftly ran down the alley between the plant and another nearby building. They gave him a glance but hardly seemed to notice....there were enough strange people in Gotham that nobody paid much attention.

_My feet are cold...where are my shoes?_

_Oh stop your whining, for God's sake. Toughen up Jacky. You don't NEED shoes. _

Jack huffed , Joker could be so mean to him. And yet...he felt comforted by him more than anything else, especially now, when it felt as if the whole city had turned on him. Why was no one in the building? Would they even notice one of the vats were empty on Monday morning?

Before leaving, Jack had taken the time to mop up the blood on the floor, raiding the janitor's closet and finding the cleaning supplies. He had tried not to leave a trace anywhere, Joker had insisted.

_Don't want them trying to find us, Jacky... _he had said. _We have too much planning to do._

There was nothing they could do about the vat though. Hopefully, the staff would assume there was a malfunction and it drained on its own accord....or something.

_Well, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it...I guess._

Finally after about an hour of darting between buildings, hopping over garbage cans and scaling fences, Jack found his aparment building.

He didn't have the keys with him, but it was easy enough to climb the fire escape and break through a window.

_Security system. Heh....here I am breaking into my own apartment. _

Jack went to his bedroom, grabbing a duffel bag from his closet and stuffing some pairs of jeans and random t-shirts into it. They would have to do for now, but he had a distinct feeling Joker was not going to approve of these kinds of clothes. He went to the bed and got down to his knees, pulling out a lockbox from underneath. He found the key he had hidden in his bureau and opened it, taking out a wad of cash.

_That was a better idea, Jacky._

_Yeah I wasn't going to put it into the mattress again..._

_How much is there?_

_Uhm....about a thousand._

_Eh, spare change. But, it will be enough to keep us going for now._

_How am I going to buy stuff though, without people noticing?_

Jack was rather dismayed that Joker didn't seem to have an answer for that and remained silent.

He sighed, stuffing the cash into his jacket pocket and continued grabbing some other supplies and putting them into his bag. Eventually he seemed satisfied and made his last stop at the kitchen, realizing how hungry he'd suddenly gotten. He grabbed a six pack of yogurt cups from the refrigerator and pulled off the tops, slurping them down greedily without a spoon.

_That's right Jacky, you don't need table manners! Society and its rules will no longer mean ANYTHING to us, we do what we please!!_

_Yeah! _Jack smiled, for once agreeing with Joker. He saw some containers of chocolate pudding and ate them just as quickly, tossing them over onto the floor when he was done.

But he was still ravenous.

_I'm so damned hungry...._

_There's some cereal boxes left, Jacky. Grab them and take them with you, but don't stay here too long. Remember, we don't want to be seen......yet. _

Jack nodded...at no one....and his gaze was slightly unfocused as he grabbed a few bottles of water, put them into his bag, and left his apartment.

For good.

------------------------------

Months passed, and winter returned to Gotham. It was now only a few days until Christmas, and the town was buzzing with holiday activity. Giant red bows and golden tinsel had been hung up, stretching across the streelights, and a light snow was starting to fall.

At Rosebud park, the outdoor skating rink was open and several people were on the ice, some soaring around easily with years of experience, and others laughing and giggling as they stumbled and fell on the ice for the very first time.

Nearby on one of the park benches, Ellie Quinton sat with her friend Kary, tying on her own skates.

"This will be loads of fun! I haven't done this in ages!" Kary grinned, standing up on her blades and carefully making her way over to the edge of the rink.

"Says you, I can't skate for my life." Ellie giggled, but there was a sadness that seemed to linger in her eyes. By now, her friends were used to it. They had done everything they could to get Ellie to move on, and Kary even had a plan to get her meeting some new guys.

But they would never say that to her. The last time someone did, trying to insist that Jack was no good and had abandoned her, she had stood up angrily and shoved a finger in there face, warning the person to "never speak about Jack like that again". Eventually though, he had been listed as missing person's case, and no one had ever said anything like that again.

Ellie smiled in appreciation as Kary helped her onto the ice, and immediately started slipping and losing her balance. Kary held her up, laughing, her long blonde hair blowing back in the cold breeze. "I'll teach you how to skate yet!"

Nearby the rink, a lone figure stood atop a building, peering down below at the activity.

_Ah, Gotham...enjoying your fine holiday festivities, are you? Well, soon enough, you'll REALLY have something to celebrate._

_But Joker, you're not going to harm them are---_

_Shut it, Jacky. This isn't your game anymore. This is MY city now, MINE._

_And all of Gotham is going to meet me very soon, Jacky._

_Yeah, yeah, I know. _Jack sat at his mental desk, gazing around the tall pillars of filing cabinets with a frown...trapped within Joker's world._ The Clown Prince of Crime._

Joker grinned, his red eyes glaring wildly behind a lock of green hair.

"Yes, you got that right, Jacky boy."

~*~


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-

Gotham, Meet Joker

------------------------

Ice skating in Gotham was always a huge event during the Holiday season. Ellie found herself dodging other skaters left and right as she clumsily tried to keep her balance, amusing her friend Kary who had to several times grab her arms to keep her from falling. At one point, Kary was unable to support her and they both tumbled down, laughing hysterically.

"I do _not_ think this is the sport for me." Ellie chuckled as she got up, this time assisting her friend who was wiping powdery ice shavings from her knees. "No, I don't think it is." Kary giggled as they both started to move out of the rink, narrowly evading another skater who whizzed by them at an incredible speed, a purple and green scarf trailing in the wind behind him.

"What the heck is that guy's problem?" Kary glared. "HEY, slow down creep, you're gonna hit a child!"

Maniacal laughter filled the air and to Kary's horror, the skater turned around and began heading straight towards her. Ellie was just as shocked and tried to reach over to grab Kary's arm and pull her away, but it was too late. The speeding skater slammed right into her and she went flying backwards for a moment before landing harshly on her backside moments later.

The attacker laughed insanely, his face hidden behind a hood, and skated to the center of the rink.

"Now listen up, _kiddies_, you're all about to take a niiiice little swim! Get out your life preservers!" He paused, shrugging. "Oh wait, you don't have any, that's right! Ah well, can't always cover all bases I guess! HA HA HA HA!!" Reaching into his pocket the hooded man took out what looked like a small box with a red button on it...

_Oh no!!_

Ellie quicky ran off the ice moments before the man raced past her, giggling insanley the entire time, and then there was a huge explosion, sending chunks of ice soaring high into the air.

Screams followed none too soon after, as people began falling into the ice cold water of the manmade pond. Ellie turned, eyes widening at the mayhem, and for a moment she fought within herself as to whether she should try and help or get the heck out of there.

The decision was made for her when she saw Kary, struggling to keep her head above the water and holding onto a chunk of floating ice. She was sputtering and calling for help.

Ellie quickly ran around the edge of the rink to the closest spot to where Kary was, trying to reach over and grab her but falling inches short. If she got any closer, she would fall into the water herself. Kary struggled and her head went under a few times, but eventually, depsite the fact she was shivering violently from the cold she managed to swim over to Ellie and grab her hand, and moments later Ellie had pulled her out. However, chaos still reigned around them as hundreds of other victims were yelling in panic. "Oh my god...Ellie..."

"Don't worry, the rescue crews are coming..."  
"Who was that madman??"

"I don't know..." She shook her head sadly, looking around quickly but not seeing the hooded man anywhere. "...but whoever he is, he's incredibly dangerous."

As the two huddled together for warmth they started to hear sirens in the distance, but it provided little relief for either of them.

------------------------------------

Meanwhile, at the biggest mansion in Gotham...

"Sir?"

"Alfred, turn up the volume".

The butler complied, grabbing the remote and turning up the sound on the huge plasma TV.

"_....and as we cover more of this shocking incident, several people are injured and many are suffering from severe hypothermia as the aftermath of this crime has left all of Gotham in shock....police have little evidence to go on, other than traces of the bomb found at the bottom of the pond...."_

"My god how ghastly! Who would do this to innocent civilians skating at a rink? Gotham's always had its share of crimes, but nothing like this!"

"I don't know, but I don't like it at all. I better go and find this person before any more of those innocent civilians are put at risk..." With that, multi-millionaire Bruce Wayne stood up from his luxurious leather couch and headed towards a bookcase, pressing in one of the books that caused a secret door to open.

"Prep the Batmobile, Alfred."

"Of course, sir."

-------------------------------

Only a few miles away at an old abandoned party-favor factory, hysterical laughter continued to ring through the air.

"Bwa ha ha! That was a blast! Literally!" Joker was watching the news on the TV, thoroughly enjoying the fact that the explosion, which was caught on a security camera, was shown over and over again as the story was covered.

"See that?! They really enjoy my joke, they can't stop doing the replay!" The maniacal clown leaned back in his chair, one hand clutching his gut as an eerily wide grin remained plastered on his face.

_Joker you could've killed those people!_

_Oh Jacky, shut it. Since when do you not know a good joke when you see one?  
JOKE? That was attempted mass murder, not a joke you crazy son-of-a---_

Joker shook his head as if trying to clear water from his ears, successfully managing to block the voice. Though Jacky still bugged him from time to time, he was finding it easier to slowly erase the better side of his conscience.

Springing up from his seat suddenly Joker ran across the floor on his bare feet to the other side the warehouse, where he opened up another door which led into a giant room. In here the place was filled with creepy gadgets,evil-looking toys with hideous smiles on them, various tool box items strewn everywhere, and worst of all, a small lab area where viles upon viles of neon-green chemicals lie neatly stacked on shelves. Joker took one of the viles and his grin turned sinister.

"Ahhh yes, it's just about ready..my beautiful Joker gas that's _really_ going to put some big smiles on all of Gotham! Heee he hee, I can hardly wait!" The clown sat on his bench and began peering through a microscope. Whatever he saw caused him to squirm in his seat for a moment and chuckle in glee.

---------------------------------

As Ellie headed home from the hospital hours later, she had to pull over for a moment and take a few deep breaths. She always tried to remain an optimistic person, but tonight's events were nearly too much to handle. Her friend Kary had to stay overnight at the hospital just to be safe, since she had suffered mild hypothermia, but Ellie felt guilty about leaving. Kary had insisted she go home and stop worrying about her, but it didn't help much.

Ellie leaned over the steering wheel and focused on a pair of headlights that seemed to be coming fast. Her eyes continued to follow the oncoming vehicle as it sped by her car and made a sudden left turn at the intersection behind her, screeching its tires all the while.

For some reason, Ellie instantly knew this was the same madman at the rink. It was further proved by the fact that it was a purple and green van. She remembered the hooded man and scarf of the same colors.

_Should I follow that van? Oh geezus, am I crazy? Follow the van, right.....I better just let the police handle it._

Ellie got her cell phone out of her bag and quickly called the cops.

---------------------------------

Back at the skating rink, police and rescue crews still lingered. They were scouring the area for any remaining evidence. Boats on the water navigated through the broken ice, searching for any possible bodies at the bottom of the pond.

Bystanders were curiously watching and hovering around, despite police effors to steer them away.

"Come on people, nothing more to see, go back to your homes where its safe." A chief officer warned, urging the crowd further back.

No sooner had he spoken the words then the van came crashing through the roadblocks and yellow tape, screeching to a halt in the midst of the crimescene.

The back doors of the van flew open minutes later and a white-skinned, green-haired man with a purple suit jumped out.

Everyone was so shocked, they stared in utter silence for several minutes.

Joker cackled, blinking his red eyes and putting his hands behind his back. He slowly walked closer to the chief, who remained frozen in his spot at what he was seeing.

"Hmmm.....Chief Angel Rojas, is it? Ah yes, I believe that's you! What a nice, shiny badge! Can _I_ wear it?" Rojas seemed unable to find his voice. What kind of absolutely insane freak was _this_? He had seen some pretty interesting criminals in his career, but this one topped the cake...by far.

Joker grabbed the badge, tearing it off with a bit of clothing. He casually fixed it to his own purple vest and smiled wide, the edges of his grin eerily reaching almost to his ears.

"This looks _swell_ on me, doncha think?"

This time, Rojas glared at him through narrowed eyes. "I don't know who the _hell_ you're supposed to be, freak, but you better believe you won't terrorize this town while _I'm_ chief of police!"

"Ooooo.....such BIG words! Now now, Chiefey. Turn that frown upside down!!" With that Joker pressed a small flower on his vest and noxious green gas came out, causing the Chief to stumble backwards sputtering and coughing. For a few moments, his felt dizzy and the world spun a few moments before clearing. He was just about ready to pull out his gun when he felt painful spasms wracking his body. Laughter started bubbling up uncontrolled despite the pain, and his mouth curled into a hideous smile that very much resembled Joker's. In the next moment, Chief Rojas couldn't even move, becoming frozen like a statue.

"Congratualtions on being my ginuea pig, Chief!" Joker wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "I'm such a proud papa!"

Turning on his heels the maniiacal clown ran back to his van and pulled out a silvery canister.

"Now for the _real_ test!"

Joker threw the canister straight towards the crowd of bystanders. As it landed it exploded and large amounts of gas filled the air. The people began to panic and scream, running in various directions, but it was of little use. In no time at all, they all began laughing insanely as huge grins started to form on their faces.

"Oh it's so beautiful....just beautiful! That's right, smile Gotham, smile!! Let me hear your wonderful laughter!"

Suddenly another vehicle came screeching around the corner, pulling up alongside the van. Joker's smile was replaced by utter surprise as he studied the shiny black vehicle. Moments later the top opened and a caped figure jumped out, landing only a few feet from him.

There was a long moment of silence as they stared at each other.

Then, Joker wrapped his arms around his chest and started laughing hysterically.

Batman ignored it, taking a step closer.

"Who are you?" The low, calm voice demanded, as one hand stayed ready by his belt. His gloved fingertips brushed what looked like some kind of boomerang.

The laughing stopped instantly from the question, as the sinister smile returned. "Me? Why I'm the guy whose gonna bring some real fun to this boring city, that's who! Call me _Joker_.

And who might YOU be, Mr. I-Wear-My-Underwear-On-The-Outside-Of-My-Pants?"

The returned laughter only caused Batman to scowl. This one was seriously screw-loose.

It was going to be a long night.

"They call me Batman. Joker is it? Well, allow me to show you around town. The first place you'll see, and the last....will be Arkham Asylum."

In one quick movement he plucked the device from his belt and flung it towards Joker, and would have hit him, if it weren't for the fact that the clown quickly countered, throwing something of his own into the air towards it.

Batman frowned after the impact, what looked like playing cards had lodged right into his Batarang. Playing cards with razor-sharp edges.

Joker shrugged with a feigned innocent smile.

"You have your toys, I have mine! See ya, Batman! I wish I could stay and take you up on that tour, but I have so much to do and so little time! Ta ta!!" He waved and bolted for the van, jumping into the driver's seat and quickly speeding away.

Batman followed him in his Batmobile, catching up in no time. Opening up the roof he reached out and threw another Batarang, this time it lodged into one of the van's tires, popping it and causing the vehicle to swing out of control briefly.

Joker mumbled under his breath and glanced in the rearview, scowling angrily.

"I don't like when people ruin my fun...."

He slammed a button on the dash, which caused oil to shoot out the back of the van. Batman tightly gripped the wheel but it began to spin wildly and he stopped only inches from crashing into the side of a building.

Cackling, Joker sped away, leaving a trail of sparks from the rim of the damaged tire.

Sighing, Batman realized this would be harder than he thought. Joker was clever, and had many tricks up his sleeve.

_Great. A new breed of villain. Just what Gotham needs._

Checking over his vehicle and realizing everything was still functional, he headed back towards the crimescene. There were some victims with eerie grins plastered on their faces that would need serious help.

Especially a certain chief of police.

----------------------------------

Back at home, Ellie was watching the news in disbelief. Live news crews had captured most of the incident, including Joker's gas attack and even Batman arriving on the scene.

_Batman...the mysterious vigilante...._

Ellie had remembered hearing about Batman from her friends at work, but until today, she had never seen him. It was so weird seeing a man in some kind of bat costume with a cape running around trying to stop criminals. Gotham was certainly a bizzare city.

But even more bizarre...was this Joker character.

_I wonder what his story is? He seemed to come out of nowhere...and there's no doubt he was that hooded figure we saw at the rink..._

For some reason, Joker bugged Ellie. She couldn't quite place why, but some part of her wanted to see more of him.

_Why in the world do I want to see a madman? He looks pretty scary...and unpredictable..._

Sighing Ellie got up from her red couch and decided on some hot chocolate. She headed into the kitchen and grabbed her favorite mug out of the cabinet, one that had a picture of Jack and herself smiling in front of Gotham Gardens.

_Jack...I miss you so much..._

While filling her teapot and waiting for the water to boil, she paused, looking out her kitchen window. There was nothing there save for the side of the next building, but so many thoughts were racing through her head that she found herself frozen in place for several minutes.

Unable to make sense of them, she snapped herself out of it as the teapot began to whistle.

------------------------------------

_"Hey, Ellie?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"I was thinking, if we do go that Italian place, would you mind going to the comedy club after? It's just down the street from there and the place is a blast! You'll love it."_

_"A comedy club? Heh, would it shock you if I said I never went to one before? I mean I've watched SNL on TV and stuff but not---"_

_"No way, seriously?? You've never been to a comedy club? Oh man, you don't know what you're missing! Look, I definitely want to take you there."_

_There was a long pause._

_"I tried myself to get a gig there once but, heh...I guess it's tough to be funny for this town. There's some real talented comedians there, though, well they must be...if they can get people in Gotham to laugh!"_

_" (giggle) Jack are people in Gotham really that bland? I mean, I met you, and you're anything but bland..."_

_"....yeah, well...maybe not all of them, Ellie. Certainly not you. And thanks, I appreciate that. So, see ya around 8ish tomorrow?"_

_"Definitely. Don't you be late, sweetie." She smiled, genuine and sincere._

_"I won't. Beleive me, I wouldn't miss a night with you for the world."_

Ellie lie in her bed, tears streaming down her eyes. She had fought such memories for quite some time, but why were they hurting worse?

Was it possible to fall in love with someone even more when they were gone?

She remembered it in detail...the last phonecall from Jack, just the night before their planned dinner. A chance to really spend some time together.

A real date.

And it never did happen. He told her he wouldn't miss it....and instead....he never showed up at all.

In fact, he just disappeared.

Nearly a year without him had been too much to bear, and Ellie found herself wondering if this was normal at all.

_Three months, girl. That's all. Just three months you knew him. Why can't you let him go?_

But as Ellie furiously wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to stop them from flowing, she realized she already knew that answer.

------------------------------------

Rosebud park awakened with the sun, despite the lingering chill of winter. It was almost eight o'clock in the morning and people were starting to walk through, bundled in their coats and scarves. It was late March, and small signs of Spring were showing. A few tulips were budding through the sparse remnants of snow and tiny bits of orange and yellow started to show among them. On one lone bench near the park's front gate, Ellie sat, starting out over the horizon at nothing in particular. She held a cup of steaming coffee in both hands and seemed lost in thought.

"Heeey...that coffee looks awfully good. You know a good cafe shop around here?"

Ellie was suddenly snapped back to reality by the voice. She turned her deep blue eyes towards the sound and bigger, lighter blue eyes gazed back at her.

"Don't mean to interrupt, hun, but I'm awfully tired and I need a cup a' joe."

A very thin, very _blonde_ young woman smiled at her and waved slightly. She was wearing tight jeans, a pink blouse underneath a white fur coat, and holding a few notebooks tucked under one arm.

"Oh sure...I get this coffee from the bagel and deli across the street and down a block....I think it's the best in town. It's quite fittingly called Papa Joe's Deli." She smiled back as the other woman plopped herself next to her.

"Ooo really? Thanks hun I appreciate it! Name's Harleen, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

"My name is Ellie, nice to meet you. Harleen? That's a very unusual name. I like it."

"Do ya? Thanks. I guess my parents liked to be different..." She shrugged and got back to her feet. "Well thanks for the recommendation and I'd best be getting off to class now!"  
"Oh you're in school? What are you studying?"

"Psychology! It's a fascinating subject. My dream is to have my own TV show someday, but more of a romance and relationships thing, ya know? He he! "

With that she walked off, almost skipping.

Ellie couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head slightly as she watched her leave. _An oddball, but she sure seemed optimistic enough. I wonder if I'll see her again?_

Suddenly her digital watch beeped and she frowned. "Welp, ten minutes to get back to the main drag...."

She rooted through her bag to find her keycard when she realized a check was in there that she needed to deposit at the bank.

Getting up from the bench she slowly made her way across the street.

With her fingers inches from the bank's large glass door, a loud explosion caused her to drop to her knees, covering her ears. Her eyes widened moments later as she realized the bang had occured inside the bank.

She could see that people were already scattering inside and green gas was filling the air.

_Green gas...wait a minute...._

It was Joker again, it had to be. Ellie felt a mixture of fasciation and fear as she took a few steps closer.

Part of her knew better.....going in there would be stupid and dangerous.

But another part of her was overwhelmed with curiosity.

She heard the police sirens in the distance, and knew there was little time if she was going to see anything.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Helloooo people! Did ya all miss me? Now now, no need to be afraid! Why, I only want the greenbacks folks, nothing more! Just hand it over and all is well...." Despite the crime clown's calm tone he was hardly convincing, especially since his grin remained wide and unfailing.

An elderly woman yelped and passed out as he came near.

"Peh, oh puh-lease. That is just the most predictable trick in the book." He poked her with his bare foot but she remained out cold. Shrugging, he stepped over her and happily bounded up to the first teller. "Well aren't YOU all smiles today."

Joker frowned at the brunette, who seemed frozen in fear and plastered to the stool she was sitting on.

"Tsk tsk tsk.....a lovely face needs a lovely smile!" He reached over with his flower, threatening to use it at any moment.

"You heard me before, right? Greenbacks. In this sack...NOW." He practically shoved the purple bag in her face and the woman, still shaking, grabbed it and frantically started shoving stacks of bills into it as fast as she could. She knew Joker's threat was real enough, since her eyes scanned across the bank's floor, seeing several people lying frozen and with hideous forced grins on their faces.

After the sack was filled Joker unceramonosiously grabbed it from her and went skipping away to the next teller. After he had raided all six of them, he walked out to the center of the floor and took a bow.

"Ah...parting is such sweet sorrow. Until tomorrow, Gotham citizens! Keep smiling, now! I bid you, audieu." He turned, and was just about to exit out the door, when Ellie bumped smack into him.

She had in that moment, decided just to go in before she changed her mind, but had not expected to come face to face with a purple vest...and a very hard chest. The impact had barely effected Joker who merely took a step back, but had caused Ellie to end up in a sitting position on the floor.

"Oops sorry, don't know my own strength!" He remarked saracastically. " But... aren't _you_ clumsy." The clown cackled, taking a good moment to laugh at her.

Ellie on the other hand wasn't sure how to react. She realized how stupid indeed she was, Joker wasn't likely to just leave her alone. Her blue eyes remained fixed on him however.

The next thought in her mind was a rather simple one.

_I have to stop him....I can't just let him walk out. He's hurt these people._

But within Joker's mind, there was an explosion of anger, as the woman dared to stand up in front of him.

"The police are going to be here any minute. I'm afraid I can't let you leave." Ellie couldn't believe what she was saying.

Joker's frown turned quickly back into a sinister grin. He grabbed her by the arms and flung her against a wall, pinning her there with his weight and she surpressed a yelp of pain.

For someone of his lean build, he was incredibly strong.

"Oh of course you _can_ dear...it's rather easy. You simply stay out of my way...or _else_." The last word was dripping with malicious sincerity.  
At this point, he was so close to her face that Ellie could tell his eyes were not actually red....but in fact bleached of all color. She was seeing the _inside _of his eyes, and the realization sent a chill through her spine.

"Is that clear?" He dropped her suddenly, causing her already tender dierriere to ache even more as she impacted.

"Now, I think _you_ could use some cheering up too, hm? Whaddya think?"

Ellie tried to back away as Joker reached for the flower on his lapel but he was entirely too fast and jumped behind her moments before she stood and tried to bolt out the door.

He was just about to press it, when his smile slowly disappeared and he fell silent, staring at her.

_Joker don't, that's Ellie!!_

_Can't you see I'm a little BUSY right now, Jacky??_

_But it's her, it's Ellie! Don't you hurt her! ~Jack stood up from his desk, hands slamming down on the wood. He looked up and saw Joker perched high atop one of the giant filing cabinets, glaring down at him.~_

_Aw, you're little girlfriend? Why Jacky-wacky, why not make her laugh like everyone else? Did you SEE what she did? Bumps into me then has the NERVE to tell me I can't leave??_

_I SWEAR YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH HER! ~Jack struggled to leave the desk area, but he simply could not. Still, Joker frowned at him and shook his head in disgust.~_

_A girl will ruin everything, you know that. Better to get her out of the way._

_NO. I'm warning you!! ~Jack shook his fist in the air, glaring icy daggers at the part of his conscince he despreately wanted to erase.~_

_You're WEAK, Jacky. Don't you see that? That's why I'm here. Don't forget, if it hadn't of been for me, you would have drowned in that vat!_

_~Jack sighed, slowly sitting back down.~ Just....just don't hurt her. Do you understand? She ALWAYS laughed at my jokes. She doesn't need to be part of this....this chaos._

_~Suddenly grinning happily Joker jumped down and landed on the desk, scattering the files, stamp pad, and pens everywhere. Jack quickly shielded himself and peered through his fingers while Joker leered down at him.~_

_Did you say...she laughed at your jokes?_

_Yeah, why?_

_Well in THAT case....you're right!_

_I am? ~Jack slowly put his arms down and blinked.~_

_Of COURSE! Why, maybe she could be amusing enough for, shall we say....a sidekick of sorts? I could use one of those!_

_SIDEKICK? Joker don't you even----_

Police suddenly busted into the bank, breaking the mental conversation instantly.

"All right, get your hands up!" A dozen guns were pointed at Joker and he took a few steps back, scowling. Fishing into his pocket he reached in and threw a canister in their midst. As soon as it hit the ground, more gas filled the air, but this time it was purple. One by the one the officers fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering before passing out entirely.

"Good ol' sleeping gas has its benefits too, ya know!" He quicky gathered the bag of money and jumped over the fallen police towards the door.

Just before leaving, he turned and gave a salute to Ellie.

"See ya, Miss Ellie. Very _soon_."

With that he ran at top speed, laughing insanely, and escaped just as more cops arrived.

-----------------


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5-

What Lies Within

--------------------

"**ACME CHEMICAL PLANT SHUT DOWN...."**

Ellie held the daily newspaper with widened eyes. As she read the front headline, she couldn't believe it. _"__**Police are investigating Gotham's largest chemical factory, rumors are surfacing that one of the large vats containing some of the most toxic, experimental chemicals had been found empty with no explanation and kept secret for months...."**_

It all seemed so surreal. Earlier in the year, the plant had laid off all its staff, due to "structural problems", and was being cited for numerous worker complaints. Now, a "ghost-in-the-closet" had surfaced, one of the vats had been emptied and the plant had tried to keep it under wraps. For anyone else, this would have simply meant just a typical story of yet another corrupt corporation.

For Ellie...it meant something else entirely...she had seen Joker.

At the bank.

He had said, "See you real soon, Miss Ellie."

She never told him her name. How could he have known who she was?

_It couldn't be...could it? _She thought back on the last time she had seen Jack. The happy expressions, the hugs, the sincere words.

He never had abandoned her.

Ellie didn't even want to think about the possiblities....of the vat being empty, and Jack having disappeared around the same time. It was too painful to think about. The only thing she wanted to do now was....find Joker again.

She had to know if it was her Jack or not.

Slowly she folded the paper and tucked it under her arm, grabbed her purse and keys, and headed out the door.

~*~

Ellie stopped briefly at Gotham General, only to find her friend Kary had been released and was doing fine. Relieved, she left the hospital and went back to her car slowly in the parking garage, looking around as if at any moment something might happen. It seemed Gotham was like that lately...never a dull moment. When she found her car and sat down in the driver's seat, she had the sudden thought to try Jack's cell phone.

_Is it possible it's still working? Why haven't I thought of this before?_

Ellie grabbed her own cell out of her purse but froze the minute she flipped it open.

_I DID think of this before...and he never answered. But...what if this time..?_

It was a crazy idea, but she couldn't shake it. With trembling fingers, she dialed the number.

~*~

Somewhere in the abandoned party-favor factory, the lone sound of a cell phone's persistant ring rang through the air, breaking the silence. Over in a corner, Joker lie sprawled out on top of his bag of money and a bunch of old crates, sound asleep. The phone rang again, causing him to stir and turn over to his other side, but the action caused his already precariously placed weight to cause everything to come tumbling down. He landed with a giant thud on the ground, jolting him awake and looking around blankly as bills slowly fluttered down all around him.

~*~

No answer. Ellie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. No answer, and apparently no voice mail either, but it had still rang...meaning the phone was somewhere and still functioning...and _turned on_. She had to try again. It was quite possible his phone was in the hands of a thief or even at the police station...but wouldn't they have turned it off?

Come to think of it...if no one was using the phone, how did it still have _power_ to even be on?

She waited another few moments, and dialed the number again.

~*~

At the second chorus of the cell phone's insistent ring, Joker snarled and got to his feet. "Where the HELL is that coming from? Can't a clown sleep around here?"

A cell phone. Wait, HIS cell phone, wasn't it?

_Jacky I'm going to bust that thing to a million pieces when I find it._

_It's in the duffel bag, you idiot. Remember?_

_Idiot? Who are you calling an idiot?_

_Just ANSWER THE DAMNED PHONE ALREADY._

Looking around the warehouse he spotted the duffel bag, sitting on a lone workbench in the near distance. Quicky he ran over and unceramoniously dumped out the contents, and there was the phone as it spilled out with a _clack_ on the floor.

~*~

_"Helloooo.....now might this happen to be Chiefey Rojas, or better yet, Gotham's very own Caped Crusader? I'm a busy clown you know, I've got a whole lot of hilarious gigs up my sleeve. But I'm not one for negotiating or bargains, or any of that rot...so, unless you're going to tell me you're willingly surrendering the city and I've become it's Numero Uno ruler...I've really got little to say---"_

"Joker?"

There was a long pause on the other end, and Ellie could have sworn she heard something like a chuckle. "_Good guess, what gave it away? The voice? I DO try to be distinct....ya know, so I can stand out in a crowd!"_

"It is you, isn't it?" Ellie tried hard to keep her voice from faltering.

_"Of course! And who might YOU be? That's the real question, my dear."_

"You met me at the bank. Listen, do you want to tell me why you have the cell phone of a Mr. Jack Napier?"

_"At the bank?! Oh yes! I remember! Miss Ellie is it? Why, I've heard all about you! Have you called to say that you're absolutely enchanted by me and want to come join Team Joker? Because I have a spot open you know....looking for a bonified henchgal and---"_

"Joker listen! Did you hear what I asked you?! Why do you have Jack's phone?! Tell me! Why?"

_Stay calm, Ellie. You can't let your emotions get the better of you..._

_"...heh. Why indeed. You should perhaps ask him yourself."_

"I WOULD ask him! But he's not here...in fact...he's been gone for a long time...."

_"Awww. Do you miss him? Can't see why, Miss Ellie. He was such a boring fellow really. Now, about that henchgal position...you don't get paid but you sure do get a lot of neat perks...like you're very own costume!"_

"Joker, for gawd's sake, what did you do to Jack?!'

_"DO to him? I haven't done anything to him! Dear, hasn't anyone told you?"_

Ellie's eyes burned and ached, as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

"T-told me what?"

_"There's no more Jack, kiddo. He drowned in that vat I'm afraid. You saw the papers didn't you? Secret's out."_

Shaking she tried desperately to find further words, but none would come. Hearing no response, Joker sighed. "_Well this is rather a boring conversation. Look, my offer is open, and you can find me at a very certain warehouse not too far from where you are---"_

"......."

"_Hulllooo? Are the lights still on upstairs?"_

"...Jack....is it you? Just tell me..._is it?_"

There was such a long moment of silence that Ellie thought perhaps he had hung up. But then...

_"...I suppose what's left of him, Miss Ellie. Now, I'll be seeing you soon, won't I?"_

Ellie heard the dialtone and slowly brought the phone down from her ear, staring out into nothingness with tears that were flowing freely from her now bloodshot eyes.

Jack was alive.

And he was the _Joker._

~*~

Later that night, Ellie went to the bar down the street to try and drown out her emotions. She had spent her time crying, for a good hour...before having enough of feeling sorry for herself and deciding some cold beers might be what she needed. Holding the third ice cold mug of Miller in her hands, she hardly noticed the concerned looks from the bartender who instead of trying some small talk, decided to leave her be. She sat on her stool staring at the amber liquid, lost in thought for several long minutes.

_Jack....he....he's alive but...oh god...he.....he's the one who fell into that vat....that's why it was empty..._

Angrily, she fought back more waves of sadness and chugged down her third beer before ordering a fourth.

"I didn't know you to be a heavy drinker, Ellie."

Slowly glancing to her side, Ellie's mood lifted when she saw the tall man who had sat next to her.

"Peter?!"  
"Yes! And how have you been, my dear?"

Ellie put down her mug and wrapped both arms around him. "Miserable. But I'm so glad to see you!"

"Now, you certainly know how to make a man feel welcome! Good to see you too. But what's this about misery?" As Ellie released him he snapped a few shoulder joints back into place, a habit he'd always had.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to trouble you about that...at least not right now...it's so...so _complicated_."

Peter chuckled, taking a swig of his own beer as soon as it was set before him. "Complicated matters are something I know a lot about, trust me. I'm all ears, sweetheart, if you need to talk about something. It's quite a nice surprise to have found you here, and I'm not in a hurry to be anywhere tonight."

Peter. Peter Merkel, a friend she'd known for years but had gotten seperated from after moving. He was a rather unusual fellow who was triple-jointed and sometimes mysteriously went "missing" for days at a time. But that was always just Peter, and she had gotten used to it.

"Why are you here in Gotham? In fact, when did you leave England?"

"Oh it got tiresome back at home...my contortionist gigs weren't leaving me with enough cash so I decided to come here to the States and see what sort of living I could make....and well, I suppose things are going well enough." He grinned in a sort of fashion which caused Ellie to raise a brow, but she chuckled at him. "How is _your_ new job?"  
"It's going pretty good...my boss is very kind, so I consider myself lucky. But I've been finding Gotham to be someplace I'd rather not be sometimes, Peter. This whole city is, well, I don't how how to describe it as anything other than..._dark_."

"Indeed! High crime rate I hear. Just the other week a museum lost its precious emerald collection. Go figure." There was that grin again. Rather than be unnerved however, Ellie just shook her head at him, which caused her to groan as a sharp pain hit behind her eyes. "Ow...I think I drank too much..." Her world slightly spinning, Ellie excused herself, attempting to put money on the bar but Peter insisted on paying. Thanking him she quickly stepped outside for some fresh air.

While outside, she started to take a walk down the street. The air was nice and cool, but unfortunately it wasn't helping much. By the time she reached the curb, the world started to spin violently and she collapsed.

~*~

Ellie slowly opened her eyes, groaning. A headache was pounding behind her eyes and she cringed at some bright lights high above. Blinking to clear her vision, she looked around, a confused look on her face.

_Where the hell am I?_

She was lying on the middle of a floor on some kind of gym mat in a huge warehouse. Everywhere around her were piles of rickety looking crates and large, freakish clown faces that looked like they were once from a fun house.

"Peter?"

Silence. After a while of looking around, she realized Peter was not there. But who brought her here? Getting to her feet she moaned as another wave of dizziness hit her already pounding head. She started to amble forward and try to find a doorway out of this place.

"Hangovers are a _bitch_, aren't they?"

Ellie froze, peering out of the corner of her eye, seeing green, purple, and a leering grin.

"I have a remedy for that. Good 'ol strong coffee!" A mug was shoved in her face, nearly spilling its hot contents onto her shirt. For a moment she stared at the mug, but didn't take it.

"Joker."

He grinned wider, tossing the mug behind his back causing it to smash against one of the crates.

"Mh-hm. Who else? Now I told you I'd be seeing you soon, didn't I?" He bowed, then waved his arms in the air. "Do you like the digs? It's so me, isn't it?"

Ellie could not sort the emotions running wildly through her. She didn't know whether to cry or to scream....or even go running into his arms.

For the time being, she remained frozen in place.

He frowned, seeming to notice something was amiss. "Oh come now. Not one teensy-weensy smile for the Joker? You know I hate frowns. They're so _ugly_. " He clasped his hands together with a very sinister grin. "I've got plans for us. You should see my chalkboards. Just chock _full_ of fun ideas! And as for your costume--"

"I'm not joining you, Joker. I never said I was." Ellie looked at him somberly.

There was a flash of anger on his face, but it suddenly changed, and he fell silent, studying her for an intense several minutes.

Ellie blinked, starting to feel somewhat uneasy at being scrutinized in such a fashion. She shuffled her feet and looked at the cement floor, but still didn't move from her spot.

After a while, the continued silence caused her to peer up again, and she saw Joker slowly move towards her. He held out his arms, smiling wide.

"I've missed you, Ellie." he said softly, continuing to hold his arms open.

The way in which it was spoken...sent raw, coursing emotion through Ellie and she was unable to stop the tears that started to flow. Her first few steps to meet him were uncertain, but eventually, she fell into his arms and held on tightly, sobbing.

"There there.....see? Don't you feel better now?" He ran a hand through her dark blonde hair, as if petting her.

She pulled away and started to smile at him, but was only met with his own grin...still eerie and mischievous.

"I've really missed you too, Jack. But...I don't understand what..happened...and the factory...my god...."

Joker frowned. "There's no more _Jack_." He almost spat the last word out as if it were an insult. "There's only the Clown Prince of Crime." Cracking his knuckles he turned away from her and opened up an old discheveled looking bureau, roughly opening the first drawer and pulling out a long shirt.

"Looksie! This would be pefect for you. If only I could find out what to put on it...what's your favorite playing card anyhow? Wasn't it the Ace?"

Ignoring his previous comment, Ellie shook her head at him. "You know I can't do this...."

He spun around, staring daggers at her. "...you can't do WHAT?"

"Join you."

He put a hand on his chest, pretending to be choked up. "You mean, you'd make me a very sad clown?"

Ellie stood there in disbelief. "Jack it's _me._ It's your Ellie. Don't you understand?? You'd never do something like this!"

Suddenly he barreled towards her, causing her to back up quickly and eventually stumble on a crate behind her. Having nowhere else to go, she looked at Joker fearfully as he once again got very close to her face. She was starting to feel an uncanny sense of deja'vu....

"The Clown ALWAYS gets what he wants, do you understand, little Miss Ellie? You can join me willingly, or you can end up taking the plunge. Do I make myself clear?"

_Take the plunge...?? _Eyes widening, Ellie shook her head slowly. "No, Jack....can't you see, this isn't you...you--"

"I keep telling you! There's no more Jack. He _drowned. _DROWNED. He's dead!" Joker grabbed her by the arm and nearly pulled it out of its socket as he forced her to follow him. He came to a large cracked window at the front of the warehouse and grabbed Ellie's head between his hands, forcing her to look out.

"Do you see _that_, Miss Ellie? That's the chemical plant.....and it will soon be _mine_. They've gone and closed it down, which makes it perfect for mwa. I can take all the precious chemicals I need to make as much Joker gas as possible...and make_ all _of Gotham die _laughing_!" Then once again, he suddenly calmed down, speaking much more softly. "That's where your dear old Jacky-boy drowned, too. But don't worry, I'll avenge him. In fact, my whole existance is to avenge Jacky, can't you see that? You should be thankful!"

He let her go, and Ellie rubbed her sore face, nervously looking back at him as he walked away towards a chair, where he turned it around and sat, resuming his unsettling grin.

"Now. Is that all taken care of, or do I have to take more drastic actions, Miss Ellie? You're such a beautiful girl...I'd hate to have to give you the chemical make-over and change all of that." He lowered his voice to a low, harsh whisper. "It burns _terribly_ you know...not very fun. So I think you'd better do the right thing, and agree to be my little... _sidekick_, if you will." He started tapping his blue fingernails on the metal back of the chair. "What do you say?"

Slumping her shoulders she looked back at the plant and stared for several long moments before turning back to Joker, who was gazing at her with his eerie red eyes, waiting for an answer.

She thought a long, hard time before finally speaking.

"All right...Joker..." she said, barely audible, but he heard, and jumped up from his chair, squealing in a delighted chuckle.

"_Good._ Now tell me, it _was_ the Ace, wasn't it? Yes yes, my little Acie. How _perfect_."

~*~


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6-

New Recruits

~*~

Three months passed in Gotham and the summer came, sweeping its hot temperatures over the city. The sight of people walking around with tanktops and ice cream cones hid the fact that the whole city wasn't as peaceful as it seemed. There had been panic over certain recent past events at Acme Chemical Plant....a raid by Joker and an unidentified accomplice had drained the contents of one of the remaining vats into a large truck and he had disappeared not too much later, only to emerge once again weeks later with yet another laughing gas attack on the city. It seemed wherever the Gotham PD were, Joker was one step ahead.

Batman had his hands full. He sat in his secret underground cave, watching his monitors for signs of Joker's next attack. Things were getting out of hand. This madman was already responsible for the deaths of some two hundred citizens who had not survived the effects of his gas. And every time Batman found a cure, Joker changed the formula, making it harder and harder to break the "code".

_What's his game? He doesn't even make sense half the time. And whose this woman whose been helping him?_

Batman frowned. _Who would assist someone like the Joker?! She must be as crazy as he is. But what's in it for her? Joker could care less about anyone but himself._

Lost deep in this thoughts, Batman at first didn't notice the flashing light on his screen. After a few moments the whole cave lit up in warning.

"There you are...."

He got up in a flash and hopped into the Batmobile, the loud roar of the engine echoing throughout the cave and disturbing legions of bats that flew around in swirling clouds.

~*~

An eerie cackling laughter echoed throughout the museum, as Joker busted a nearby glass case and took out a bunch of golden figurines.

"Hm! Melted down, these could brings _lots_ of cash on the black market. Gold is good investment, you know, with the economy being such a bummer lately..." He turned and handed the figurines to a woman standing behind him, dressed in a long white shirt with an Ace of Hearts symbol on the back, and only a white eyemask covering her face.

"Hold these, would you? Thanks dearie!" Laughing again he nearly skipped over to the next case and smashed it as well, using a mallet with purple and green swirling designs on it. Alarms were going off everywhere, but he completely ignored it and hardly seemed affected by the noise.

"Ooooo! And I'll take _this_ one, and this one....and SWEET MAMA! _Definitely_ this little beauty! Wow, great bargains this place offers!" Joker continued to gleefully trail around the large building, all the while his assistant following him closely, putting the items into a large purple bag that matched Joker's classic outfit.

He turned to face her again, smiling wide.

"Oh this is SO you." He clasped a brilliantly sparkling diamond necklace around her neck, and dangling from it was the letter "A". Glancing past his shoulder, she saw that a whole set of these existed, with every letter of the alphabet.

Smiling, she rand a hand through his green locks.

"Thanks."

Joker couldn't possibly smile any wider, but somehow he managed to. He gave her a quick kiss before going back to his raid.

"C'mon little Pet, we need to finish up our little shopping spree here. That pest problem with bats, you know. Just when you think you've gotten rid of it, it just keeps coming back---"

"You've got that right, Joker. Though I have this pest problem too...with clowns."

Joker spun around and immediately a scowl erased his smile. "Geh. The _timing_ with you. It's incredulous." He sighed, then shrugged. "Always ruining the fun, Batsy. What do you have against clowns anyway?"

Batman didn't answer his question, and instead threw about four batarangs in his direction. They created an eerie whistling sort of sound as they swept in towards Joker. However, he deftly moved out of the way with an incredible leap upwards where he grabbed onto the rafters, swung around, and landed on his bare feet in a crouching position.

"Tsk tsk tsk. You'll make the little lady upset, trying to hurt me and all." He chuckled, and Batman quickly turned his attention to Ace, but she had already moved, aiming a flying kick in his direction which sent him crashing backwards into one of the glass cases.

"Bwa ha ha ha! Thanks for the help, Bats! I appreciate it!" Joker leapt down from the rafters and collected the strewn items that had fallen out of the case around a stunned Batman.

At that moment, police sirens started wailing in the distance.

"I'd _love_ to stay and play with you, but I've got some goods to sell to my buddies in the black market..." He waved the bag in front of Batman's face a few times before grabbing Ace by the wrist and darting out of the busted entrance, narrowly escaping the cops as they just came around the street corner.

Trying to stand up himself and get his bearings, Batman scowled in their direction. He quickly made his own exit, not wanting to deal with the Gotham PD. They only made his work harder.

~*~

"He's going to follow us, Joker."

"I _know_ that Pet, which is why we're going to hide out someplace he'd never think to look for us."

Ace raised a brow, wondering where exactly that was. Still, she followed him at every turn.

_Wherever he goes..._

Though Ace started to grow tired from all the running, the Crime Clown kept going as if his energy never ran out. At times he had the habit of jumping up on windowsill ledges or other obstacles, making it extremely difficult to keep up with him.

_He's going to either get me in the best shape of my life, or cause me to have a heart attack._

_At this rate, it might be the latter!_

Finally, they ducked down a dark alleyway and towards a small abandoned apartment building.

"Here we are! Use the fire escapes, fourth floor."

Blinking she looked at him one moment before grabbing the ladder and scaling upwards. He followed behind her seconds later and much faster, before forcing open a rickety looking window.

"In here."

She crawled in, and stepped into a small, dusty bedroom. Joker shut the window behind him and looked around the place with a grin.

"Has an odd sort of homey feel to it, hm?"

"J, where the heck are we? How did you know about this place?"  
"Oh, let's just say I knew someone who lived here. But for now, it's perfect!" He threw the bag of stolen goods onto the floor and flopped onto the bed, dust rising in great clouds from the mattress.

He sat up, coughing. "Well, it _could_ use a broom in here."

Ace sneezed from the dust and walked into the adjoining room, which was the kitchen. She turned the faucet on, but no water came out.

"Perfect huh? The water's shut off."

"It's a _temporary_ hideout, Acie. Meaning...we stay here for a short amount of time. Or as good 'ol Webster would define it: lasting or serving for a time only, not permanent--"

"YES, J, I get it, I get it." She left the kitchen and flopped down beside him on the bed. "Do you always have to be such a wise-ass?"

"Yes. It's fun."

Rolling her eyes she couldn't help but crack a slight smile and looked up at the ceiling.

After a long resulting silence her eyelids started to grow a little heavy.

She fell asleep, but only for a brief few minutes, before being startled awake by a heavy weight on her. Joker had moved himself directly over her, and while he still grinned his classic smile, there was a rare sort of look in his eyes.....calm? Softness? She really couldn't say for sure.

"Do you mind?"

"You know little Acie, there's so many more perks to this job then just running around with me in that cute costume." His voice deep, he moved even closer to her face, but Ellie just blinked at him, unsure as to how to react. One thing was for sure, his voice sent electric shivers down her spine.

"Hm. You mean, something even more fun than playing cat-and-mouse with Batman?"

He gave a high-pitched chuckle and leaned down to rest his head on her shoulder. "Mh-hm. Even more fun than that."

It was rare that Joker really needed to say anything to Ellie in order to get his message across. She closed her eyes and tried not to allow the tears to come to her eyes, but in that moment, Joker was like a little child, seeking her affection and cuddling against her.

Ellie thought about the times they had met in Rosebud Park, all the laughter and smiles. Jack was like a little child even then, not _childish_, but needy....her memory of his hugs were always so warm and soft...but also clinging. He lingered in those hugs, as if not wanting to let her go.

She didn't mind, she never did, and so she wrapped her arms tight around Joker and held him close.

She felt him relax, nuzzling into her neck. For a long while, they simply lay there together, with Ellie wondering what could possibly be going on in his damaged mind.

She started to think about her Jack...and falling into the vat of chemicals. About all of the pain and suffering he went through.

_And I wasn't there to help him....no one was....he was all alone....how could anyone __**not**__ go mad after something like that?_

She started stroking her hands down his back, squeezing him more tightly as tears ran down her face.

_Oh god it's not your fault....it's not your __**fault**__..._

In a flash Joker moved and propped himself up onto his hands, leering over her and cocking his head as he scrutinized her.

"Now now, what have I always told you? I HATE frowns." His scowl told Ellie he was dead serious, and she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and forced herself to smile.

"That's better! Why the tears, Pet? If you're worried about Batsy, don't be." He lowered his voice with a sinister grin. "I'm _always_ one step ahead of him."

She reached up, caressing his face. "Always the optimist."

He nodded, the signature expression never leaving his face. "That and so many other things, like...." He held up his right foot and wiggled his toes. "...I can do amazing things with my feet." Ellie began cracking up as he tickled her on the side, heartily laughing all the while.

He was relentless, using both toes and fingers until she could scarcely breathe. Finally after about five minutes she'd had it, and playfully pushed him onto his side until he started laughing hysterically himself.

Joker was definitely ticklish, and she had learned that well. It was bizarre how such a chaotic mind could sometimes turn so innocent and childlike, but that was her Jacky. She understood that there were these three main sides to him... Jacky the child, Jack the normal adult, and Joker the sadistic, emotionally damaged dark side that was currently in charge and acting out his desire to be a comedian. There wasn't likely to be anyone else who could ever see him like that, and she realized it right then and there.

_God help me. I love him. And I can't tell him that. He's not ready to hear it yet._

Ellie found herself in the next moment once again on her back and this time he held down by her wrists, moving down to her face and this time pressing his lips against her own. She couldn't quite determine what she was feeling from that kiss, but she went with it.

"This perk's the best one..." He said, removing his purple jacket and shirt underneath in one swift movement before reaching down to kiss her again.

It all seemed so unreal, and perhaps even unbelievable. She certainly wanted her Jack in the worst way...but this wasn't anywhere near the same man she had known in the park. It was a confusing mix of emotions that weighed heavily on her heart.

"Really, huh?" She fought back all of her more negative feelings and giggled at him, forcing reason to leave her mind.

"Oh yes. A good romp in the corral is always fun. Especially when there's such a sweet little filly that needs to be riled up."

Ellie laughed. "Er, riled up? I'd say I've been pretty 'riled up' just being your sidekick."

Joker grinned wide, pulling her up and deftly removing her long shirt.

"Oh believe me, I've only just gotten started with your _training_."

He was just about to take the rest of her clothes off, when Ellie frowned, pouting.

Noticing, he quirked a brow at her. "_What_?"

"It's just that I was thinking...isn't a bed kind of...well...boring?"

Joker pursed his lips and looked around, looking surprised for a moment, then cackling.

"You're right! What did you have in mind? Do tell, I'm _really_ curious."

Ellie sat up, disbelieving her own words. "Hmm well....you've been saying to me that real fun is to go with whatever comes to mind...so, howabout....on the kitchen table? Seems big enough." She giggled, tilting her head in that direction.

The Clown looked absolutely delighted as he grabbed her, lifting her up entirely, and carried her over to the kitchen table. There wasn't any more time for talking (he wasn't going to allow it anyway) as in the next few moments the desire spawning between them was intense. Joker knocked over a few chairs as he climbed onto the table bringing her with him, and started kissing her wildly. Coherent thought was lost in the whirlwind of heat emanating from both their bodies, as a strong sense of urgency persisted. It was a need, a need that had been going on for a while, and even more so for Ellie, for she had been missing him for far too long. This may not be the same Jack anymore but the vast difference in appearances never mattered to her. She didn't fall in love with Jack for his looks, she fell for him because of who he was. Chemicals or no chemicals, it never would have changed anything.

Ellie cried out then from a sudden intrusion of hard and demanding thrusts, exploding her senses into pain and pleasure. This was hardly what she had thought once as a young, naive teenager that her first time would be like, but there were no regrets. This was what _Joker_ was going to give her, hot, wild, and _crazy_. Nothing more, nothing less.

She could not expect that normalcy, it would never be there...but all she wanted was to have _him_, and to be by his side.

That was all that mattered, and why she had chosen the table over the far more comfortable bed.

She would be exactly what he wanted.

~*~

Batman scoured the city in his Batmobile, but could find no trace of the Crazy Crime Clown or his henchwoman.

The trails were running cold, but Bruce Wayne was never one to give up. He was going to find the Joker and get him where he belonged, in Arkham, before he could create any more havoc on the city.

He pressed a red button on the dash.

"Alfred, anything yet?"

On the other line, the Butler's British accent came through. "No sir, but, the instant I see something, I'll let you know."

Batman narrowed his eyes and swerved around the next corner. He was going to find Joker, even if it took him all night.

~*~

Hours later, Ellie found herself waking up. She instantly grabbed her neck, wincing from a painful kink. "Ow...." Looking over at Joker she saw him sprawled out and completely well... _naked_, sleeping with the ever-present grin cracking his face. Smiling she ran a hand over his pure white skin, marveling at how baby-smooth it was.

_I wonder what kind of body lotion he's using?_

The smile on her face instantly left however, as her fingers felt something rather rough and not so soft on his backside. Moving him carefully, she realized it was a scar. There were, in fact, two nearly perfect half-circle shaped scars on his back. They had healed well enough, but the shape was odd. Frowning, she wondered where they came from.

"What happened to you, Jack?" She whispered, sighing and running a hand through his hair. Every time she thought about it, it nearly broke her in two.

It was almost too painful to bear at times.

Suddenly, the red eyes snapped open, and he looked at her with a slight frown.

Ellie saw the change in his countenance...she could almost _feel_ it.

"Bolts, Ellie."

"What?" Her own frown deepened, as she gazed into his eyes.

"Bolts....quite large on those vats." He seemed to think a while, turning his gaze away from her and towards the ceiling. "Fell from quite a distance.....hit my head on the bottom...." He rubbed at his head as if reliving it, while his eyes remained unfocused. "The bolts on the bottom, dug into my shoulders."

Ellie felt her body shaking, and she couldn't stop it.

"Then there was only the _burning....._the awful _burning_....like being in Hell's fire, Ellie." Still talking softly he looked to her again, looking so broken and fragile in this state of mind.

Helplessly she continued to stare at him, seeing an incredibly deep pain in his eyes that she could only barely scratch the surface of.

He held up his arms to her. "I'm so sorry, my Acie. So sorry I couldn't save Jacky for you."

That was more than Ellie could stand. She burst into tears, crying into his chest while Joker comforted her. "There, there.." he kept saying, as if _she_ were the one in need of condoling.

"There's a little voice in there still, my dear. It's really because of you. Besides in all honesty, Jacky-boy _does_ have his usefulness." He got up to his side, resting on his elbow. "He keeps all my genius ideas in perfect order. You should see what a marvelous job he does, so neat and organized!"

Ellie was a little confused, but she knew better than to take Joker's words at face value. Somehow amongst all her sadness for him, she managed to find her smile again.

"I appreciate that....J....don't you dare ever get rid of Jack completely."

He shrugged and hopped off the table. "Like I said, man has his usefulness. Now, we've lingered enough here. Time to skedaddle!" Going back into the bedroom and once again suddenly changing his mood as usual, he quickly got dressed and grabbed the bag, heading for the window. Ellie knew better than to even think the words "wait up!" so she quickly got dressed herself and followed as quickly as she could.

~*~

They were halfway down the alleyway, when suddenly Batman's vehicle came screeching to a halt mere inches in front of them. Joker yelped, nearly falling back, not expecting that at all. He growled, grabbing a large piece of broken brick and hurling it at the Batmobile, but it glanced off without so much as a scratch. The top opened and Batman jumped out, landing smoothly on his feet with his cape fluttering around him.

"Your tour of Arkham Asylum is _long_ overdue, Joker." With that the Bat threw a shiny black orb in his direction, which exploded into a net and covered them both. Ace quickly reached for her own razor cards and started cutting at the ropes, but realized Joker had already found his way out and made use of his own razor cards.

Batman dodged them easily enough and ran towards him, relentless.

"Oh come on, Batsy, you see one asylum you've seen them all." Joker leapt over him, landing on his other side and giving a swift kick to his midsection. Batman grunted, but blocked his next kick and managed to punch the clown in the face hard enough to knock him into a couple of garbage cans. There was a loud clang as the contents spilled out into the alleyway. "What's so special about this one? Having your own toilet that actually works?"

He reached out in time to catch yet another fist in his direction, then used both feet to kick Batman backwards where he fell onto the net and almost on top of Ellie, who was still cutting away. Finally, she managed to break free and quickly stepped away from him.

"You've got a lot of tricks up your sleeve, Bat." She glared and followed him with her eyes as he stood up, eyeing them both.

"I do. And I suppose I'll have to take you along on that tour as well. Tell me, why are you helping him?"  
Ellie studied Gotham's vigilante, a tall, dark, and most likely handsome (if she could see under the mask) man, but he had a determined air about him and she didn't like it. He seemed almost as if he believed he were superior, especially with the way he continued to give Joker unfavorable looks. It irked her, and it irked her _badly_.

"You'd never understand why I'm helping him."

"Try me."

"Forget it. It's none of your damned business. Just know this, Batman, if you're enemies with Joker, you're enemies with _me._ You can call me Ace. Remember it." With that, in one incredibly fast movement, Ellie had about ten razor cards heading in his direction. The Batman managed to block most of them as he flipped back, but one lodged into his left thigh, causing blood to start trickling down. Unfortunately for Ellie, he never made the same mistake twice. Having never dealt with her before, she simply managed to catch him off guard.

"Lucky shot." He threw a Batarang at her and she barely managed to evade it. At this point, Joker had recovered and literally leapt onto Batman's back, trying to knock him down.

The two spun around and around, as Batman tried slamming him into brick walls or flipping him over his shoulders, but the Clown held on mercilessly.

"Yee-haw!" Joker imitated a whip swirling above his head, but his antics didn't last, as Batman finally managed to grab his shoulders and hurled him off and pinned him down to the ground. Using a piece of the cut rope he bound his hands together, and then looked up to take on Ace, but she had disappeared.

"Hm. Looks like your little assistant ditched you, Joker."

The Clown grinned eerily wide at him. "Oh you'll be seeing her again, Batsy-watsy. Don't you worry."

"Well...you won't. Enjoy Arkham Aslyum, tell me if you liked your tour guide. His name's Dr. Bagley. Say hi to him for me." With that Batman left, hopping into his car and speeding off, just as the cops arrived. Joker looked unimpressed as they swarmed around him.

"Freeze, scumbag! Don't move!"

"Like I have a choice..." Joker grumbled, looking at this roped wrists. He wasn't surprised at all when they grabbed him and roughly shoved him in a back of a police van and used about four handcuffs on both his hands and feet as they tied him down.

~*~

"Dr. Bagley? Your new arrival is here." An orderly peeked into Arkham's main office at an older man sitting in a chair with a pair of glasses. He looked at the door and gave a smug grin.

"Well...is that so? The one and only Joker is it?" Bagley got up and walked over, only to come face to face with four orderlies trying to hold an amazingly strong man whose red eyes were glaring daggers. As soon as he saw Dr. Bagley, however, his smile returned.

"Dr. Bagley? Batman told me about you, he says to say hi!" With that, he managed to use the weight of the orderlies holding him to actually lean back, and managed a kick to the psychiatrist's face, knocking off his glasses and causing him to tumble to the floor.

"So, HI!" He cackled loudly, as a now enraged Dr. Bagley got up, brushing dust off his freshly laundered pants.

"Take him to cell number 223....in D wing." He got a bit closer to Joker. " I _hate_ jokes, just so you know. And I hate clowns even more. Freaked me out as a kid. Enjoy your nice, long stay at my Asylum. We'll keep you _real_ cozy."

With that the orderlies roughly shoved Joker down the corridor as Bagley watched them go.

At cell 223, deep in the bowels of Arkham, the orderlies unceremoniously heaved Joker inside, heavy shackles and all, causing him to hit the ground rather hard as a searing pain hit his lower back. Despite that, he kept his sinister grin plastered on his face.

"Love you too, boys! I know I'll be seeing you again!" The door was slammed shut, and he heard the distinctive click of a key. The orderly that locked the door gave him a nasty look through the bars before walking away. Joker looked around his room, observing the padded walls and tiny barred window on the back wall. There wasn't much to see out of it, considering it was old, scratched Plexiglas and had probably never been cleaned once. It was also high up and impossible to reach. The door itself was heavy metal and padded, and not much else. The walls were padded, and in one corner a dirty toilet lie. Joker made a face, and got to his feet, shuffling along since they were still locked together with chains. He tried to flush the toilet, and surprisingly, it worked.

"Wow, this place is down right luxurious!" The sarcasm in his voice was clearly evident. He sat down, leaning against the wall, and closed his eyes, contemplating.

~*~

Meanwhile back at the warehouse, Ellie paced back and forth, trying to fight her emotions again and remain focused. She had done what Joker had told her to do...run if he got caught...but it was very hard to leave him, especially seeing him all tied up. Still...now was not the time to worry about that.

_I've got to get him out of there. But how am I going to do this myself?! He's counting on me!_

Her real job was supposed to be computer hacking, which she did do, but Joker had insisted as of late that she come with him for "street jobs". He seemed to have a lot more confidence in her than she did herself, however. Still...

_I'll get you out of there, Jack. I don't know how, but somehow I will..._

Suddenly, Ellie froze as she heard a noise, something akin to the sound of a few crates being knocked over on the other side of the warehouse. Certain it was the Batman, she quickly searched for razor cards in her pockets but realized she was out. Ducking behind some nearby crates she peered around the edge, waiting to see who would emerge.

She was rather surprised, and intensely frightened, by the sight of two absolutely _huge_ men who came lumbering out from behind their own crates, clearly searching for her and looking around. They were wearing what looked to be like prison outfits.

_They must have seen me before I ducked behind here...oh crap. Who the hell are they, and how did they get in here?!_

One turned towards her, tapping the other on the shoulder. The other pointed, and they both came towards her.

_Oh shit!_

Ellie knew she couldn't stay there, and searched desperately for some kind of a weapon. Racing towards Joker's idea room, she managed to find his punching glove and grabbed it, ready to face her attackers. They saw her and ran towards the room, coming surprisingly fast for such large fellows. Spinning around Ellie let loose the glove, which hit one directly in the face. Watching in horror she quickly realized it barely phased him and he simply rubbed at his cheek as if maybe a bee had stung him there. The other saw what happened and looked angry, grabbing her by the arm. It was painfully tight, like a vice.

"Let me go, let me go! Who the hell are you?!"

The two of them blinked, noticing the Ace symbol on her shirt. One reached into his pocket, holding up a Joker card.

Ellie was dumbfounded. "Wait...do you know Joker?"

They shook their heads.

"Then why are you showing me that card?"  
They looked at each other again...identical twins nearly impossible to tell apart...then began using some sort of sign language, but she didn't understand any of it.

"You don't talk?"

Again they shook their heads.

"Look if you're not here to hurt me, then I'd appreciate it if you put me down."

The one holding her complied, setting her down surprisingly gently. Ellie stood between them, dwarfed by their immense size. They almost seemed inhuman, and their incredible strength was painfully obvious.

"Well by the looks of things, you're escaped convicts, I take it."

They nodded.

"Ok...and, are you just _looking_ for Joker?"

They nodded, this time more emphatically.

"Uhm...why exactly?"

Realizing they couldn't answer, Ellie pointed to a chalkboard. "Write down your answers."

They shook their head, shrugging sheepishly.

"Are you telling me you can't _write_ either?"

The both of them nodded.

Sighing, Ellie realized she had to stick with yes and no questions.

"Okay so....was he looking for _you_?"

The one looked at the other, Ellie noticed he was slightly larger, or maybe just heavier weight-wise. He pulled out something from his pocket, Ellie immediately grew cautious but realized it was just a folded paper. He handed it her.

She looked it over, seeing headlines about Joker's notorious crimes. They both grinned, pointing and nodding. They looked at each other and laughed, although no sound escaped them. Still, Ellie began to understand.

"I see. He makes you laugh...." They nodded but Ellie suddenly realized just how she was going to get Joker out of Arkham.

"You want to join the Team?"

They grinned, clasping their hands together and looking hopeful.

"Well then, he'll have to decide that one. But...I've got a perfect first job for you. Consider it a kind of...test."

~*~


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-

There's Insanity, and Then There's Evil

~*~

It was never a good idea to leave Joker alone to his own thoughts, brooding and angry in a padded cell. Even worse was restricting his arms, forcing him to use his feet to scratch an itch and finding interesting ways to contort himself if one happened to be behind his ear.

He had learned well to use his feet, for situations like this, but as he grumbled obscentities, swearing to kill Dr. Bagley as well as every orderly that had done this to him, his eerie face went from leering grins to frightening scowls, to little giggles suddenly welling up within him and echoing throughout his cell. Nearby other inmates huddled in the corners of their own cells, terrified stiff of the Joker...knowing full well what he was capable of.

Their insanity was like a walk in the park...compared to his.

Among many other mental disorders, Joker's top insanity was believing he was two people trapped in one body. His former self, Jack Napier, was only a nagging voice that occasionally he argued with, just to keep himself amused.

_So, nice pickle you're in, huh? I told you this would happen._

_Oh Jacky, the fun's just beginning. This is an...irritating setback, I'll admit, but you know I won't give up. And I'm already imagining what Dr. Bagley might look like with this eyes burned out. How do you think I should go about doing that? Should I just pour the raw chemicals straight into his eyes, and listen to him scream higher and higher like a little girl, as they melt out of their sockets and drip down his face?_

_You are SICK. You hear me you freak??? SICK. How the hell you ever came out of MY brain, I'll never know! _Jack shivered, burying his face in his hands. Truly, Joker was a monster, and he knew it well. The more time went on, the worse his plans became, and Jack felt helpless to stop them. He was far too timid, too lacking in self-confidence....too weak to fight such a powerful dark side within him.

_Your brain Jacqueline?? Hardly. This is MY world now, and you know it!!_

A clacking sound snapped Joker out his thoughts and he slowly turned his head towards the cell door, hoping whoever it was would be foolish enough to linger too long if they opened the door, so that he could sink his deformed teeth into his wrist or neck, and bleed him out to death.

He frowned when he saw the tray of food shoved through the bottom of the door, containing a cup of water and....macaroni and cheese. One of Dr. Bagley's favorite things to do was feed him this, knowing he hated it.

The first time he had been served mac and cheese, he threw it back at the door, managing to get some of the brightly orange-colored pasta pieces all over the orderly's face, and laughed heartily.

Since then, the disgusting concoction was brought to him twice a day.

Though his stomach grumbled, Joker refused to eat it. He did take the cup of water though with his foot, swallowing it in two gulps before throwing it against the door and watching the plastic bounce off.

_Yeah, you should starve, monster. It would serve you right!_

_My dear Jacky-boy, if I were to die, so would you._

_SO what? At least you'd be gone forever!_

_But you're forgetting about your precious Ellie. You wouldn't want for me to die and leave her all sad and lonely, would you?_

Jack growled to himself at his desk, but then sighed in his usual defeat. That _was_ the only real reason he bothered to stay alive.

For his Ellie. Even if he wondered if it wouldn't be better for her in the long run that he DID die...and spare the world from Joker's horrors.

_I wanted to be a clown, to make people laugh...but not to HURT them. You're the opposite of everything I wanted to be. You've ruined my life._

_On the contrary, I'd say I've made it better! What were you doing before? Skulking around Rosebud park and keeping to yourself, day by day, and trying occassionally to impress people at those lousy comedy clubs?! You're a huge loser Jacky, and you know it. I'm the BEST thing that's ever happened to you. The BEST._

_Yeah whatever you---_

_SHUT it, I'm done talking with you now. Back to work, I've got a whole slew of new ideas you'll be filing away VERY soon._

With that Joker ended the conversation and decided to entertain himself a little while longer by freaking out his fellow inmates while he waited for Ace....someone he KNEW would come to bust him out. He began laughing, changing the pitch from lower to higher, and sometimes loud enough to flood the entire D wing.

At someone's brave shout out to "Shut the hell up you fucking freak!!!", he only laughed harder, clanking his chains as he fell on his back.

~*~

Ellie paced back and forth impatiently, waiting, while her two new friends played a game of poker, soundlessly gesturing and pointing at the cards every now and then.

"C'mon Peter...any DAY now..." sighing, she walked over to the two ex-circus performers and decided to try and learn more about them, while she waited for the ever-and-always so late .

"What led you guys to a life of crime, hm? Do you feel that's the only way you can survive?"

They nodded in unison, looking somber. One brought a brotherly arm around the other and gestured towards him.

"Ah, and you stick up for each other, too. Hm. See it's funny, I have a whole new understanding of criminal intent now. It's not always born of evil. Sometimes...people become what they are because they have no choice." Frowning, she pointed to Joker's picture on the front headlines. The two nodded knowingly at her.

They were considered freaks in this world too, just like Joker. Which was one main reason why they wanted to join him.

Ellie crossed her legs and sipped at a glass of iced tea, when she heard a shuffling noise which brought her attention to one of the air vents above. She witnessed the grate cover being removed and a person squeezing himself through at an impossible angle. He dropped to the floor, landing on his feet, instantly smiling at her and ruffling his hands through his dirty-blonde hair.

"Damn cobwebs..."

"Oh Peter, thank goodness. Thanks for coming."

For the moment, he didn't seem to notice the two huge men looming over the card table. That or he simply didn't care.

"For you, Ellie my dearest, anything. You and I have a past, you know."

She looked at the floor, somehow those words stinging more than usual. "I wish you wouldn't put it that way, Peter."

"Well? How can I not? Admittedly I'm not a man for commitments, but, that's not to say I didn't cherish every moment of it." He looked about at the huge and dusty warehouse, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting daycore Jack has going on here."

"It suits him, doesn't it? You think he'll remember you at all?"

"Huh, Jack's an odd man...something I'm sure I don't have to tell you. One thing is for certain, he is awfully intelligent. A crazy genius. It's too bad he spent all his time trying to become a comedian rather than something which would really use that brainpower of his. No wonder the man went loony."

Ellie stared at her glass of ice tea, swirling the ice cubes around with her straw. It began to make her think of the swirling chemicals in a vat almost instantly and she quickly put it down.

"I don't know Peter...if I had gotten to know him a little better before all this happened...maybe I could do more to help him."

"Meaning what?" He sat down on another upsidedown turned crate next to her, studying the other two briefly but still not seeming too concerned about them, and helped himself to her iced tea.

"Well...there's no way I'm going to get my Jack to come out of that damaged mind." Her frown deepened, and she stared at her hands. "The only thing I can do now is...just...be there for him."

Finishing off the tea quickly Peter placed the glass down hard on the table, causing Ellie to jump slightly and look at him.

"Ellie the last thing you need is to be a crutch for someone. You're not helping Joker just because he was once this man you had the hots for. You're helping him because you want absolute freedom. Don't you? It's what we all want. By hanging out with this guy gone loony-tunes, you can have that freedom, can't you? Oh it comes at a price...you might end up in jail or even Arkham Aslyum...but all of us freedom seekers take that chance, because there's nothing that we want more. Hm? Am I right?"

"Peter what are you talking about? You're wrong! I _do_ help him because I'm in love with him!" Tears began streaming down her face as she started to lose her composure. "And god help me, there's nothing I can do about it! I can't leave him, even if I tried! So here I am...here I am playing the game as his little "Ace" and doing things I once thought I could _never_ do! I refuse to actually hurt someone, but I have to stand by and watch him do worse, sometimes he KILLS people!" She quieted down, wrapping her hands around the empty glass as if hoping it could provide some amount of wisdom by looking into the slowly melting ice cubes. "And you know what?"

Peter had been listening intently, his eyes never leaving her. "What, my dear? Do tell."

"I forgive him for it...all of it...I don't even blame him for it...because he went through _hell_. He never deserved a single minute of it. You know he's right don't you? He's right in saying that all of Gotham is to blame. Society is what made him. They did this. Even his own parents are to blame for ignoring him and finding more imporatance in their own god damned lives because they didn't want a child."

There was a long pause. "So, if I can't heal his damaged mind...and his broken heart, then all I can do is be there for him. You're going to help me free him from Arkham, aren't you?"

Peter clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "I suppose. But I don't like the thought of risking my own neck in that place. Ending up in Arkham Aslyum is about as desirable as living in a cardboard box in an alley. Heck....a cardboard box would be luxury compared to that place."

This made Ellie only frown deeper, the sadness shining in her blue eyes. "Is it really that bad there?"

"Huh, let's just say Arkham is as corrupt as the police force. Insane people don't go to Arkham to get therapy and the help they need, oh no...they go to Arkham to get locked up in a cell like an animal, and have the key thrown away. Do you really think Joker is getting any help there? Oh sure, there are real psychiatrists like Dr. Strange that try to work with them, but....even people like him don't know the real story behind Dr. Bagley. He'll treat Joker more like a rabid dog than a human being."

"Then you HAVE to help me, Peter, we have to get him out of there!"

He smiled, but it was more sinister than she had previously seen. "When we're traipsing around the streets of Gotham on our way to rescue the Clown's be-hind, please do call me _Ragdoll_." He opened up a small duffel bag he had been carrying, pulling out a costume, on which their was an eerie face with x'd out eyes.

Ellie would have questioned him, but in truth it didn't surprise her.

Peter was a criminal himself. He looked towards the two brutes at the table as if seeking approval, and slowly a smirk formed on their faces.

~*~

Joker snapped awake at the sound of his cell door opening. He had been dozing off after making his throat nearly raw from so much laughing and exhausting himself. Now, through his blurry, sleepy eyes he could see about six orderlies coming in and surrounding him.

"Oooo....I can tell this is going to be a fun day, isn't it? A gang rape, maybe?"

Ignoring him, the six muscular men secured his ankles together with a pair of handcuffs and made sure his straightjacket was secure before hoisting him up to his feet and rougly shoving him out of the cell.

As they walked down D wing's dank and dark hallway, Joker continued to study the six men's faces carefully. If they did indeed do something to hurt him, he would be sure to repay the favor later on when he escaped.

Joker never, never, would forget the face of someone who tormented him, or vice versa.

"Hm, don't want to bring too much attention in my cell hm? I guess we're going to a _special_ place??"

One of the orderlies finally gazed at him with piercing, brown eyes, glowering. "Yeah, special all right, clown. You'll love this one."

Joker put on a huge smile. "I do hope you'll be gentle with me. I'm a virgin, you know."

Disgusted by his chit-chat, the orderly landed a brutal punch to his face, causing his lip to bleed. "Shut it, freak. Believe me, you'll be screaming like a little virgin when _they're_ done with you."

Continuing to harshly shove him down the hallway, Joker realized something was definitely up, and not part of usual asylum procedure, when he was shoved through a small door in a hidden corner of the wing. Inside, all the walls were white, and in the center a gurney. There was one sink and a counter top, where needles and various liquids in tiny vials lie. A single "lab-coat", a woman, stared at him with a stoic face, her eyes lacking all emotion. "Secure him to the table."

Snarling, he suddenly resisted, trying to back away from the room, but the orderlies held him fast.

There was the smell of something darkly evil in the room, a sense of dread that made even the Joker feel a twitter of fear in his heart. That fear was Jack, terrified at the propsect of being used like a guinea pig. That had happened to him already once...albeit inadvertently. He would NOT go through that again.

The gang of six finally managed to strap his flailing arms to the gurney and get him down on his back, where the Clown kicked out with his feet in his building rage. He managed to catch the scientist's chin and cause her to stumble back, but she maintained her stoic expression and simpy urged the orderlies to hold him down and get him fully secured. The woman explained nothing to Joker, who now lie panting on the table from his effort, as she grabbed her first of many needles. He tried to swat it away, but there were about eight very tight straps across his body and he was nearly immobilzed. As she withdrew some kind of greenish looking liquid from her first vial and flicked her fingers against the tube to clear the air bubbles, the Joker lost his angry scowl and his face fell, as fear took over and he completely regressed.

"No, **NO**!! Don't _do_ this to me!"

"It won't take long." Still with no emotion in her face, the lab-coat brought the needle to a bulging vein in his arm, and punctured with great precision. Joker screamed as he felt the liquid burn in his veins, and nausea well in his stomach.

All the while as he twisted and writhed and broke out into a sweat, she simply observed him and began writing on her notepad.

~*~


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8-

The Consequence of Cruelty

_Flashes of memory came unbidden, haunting Joker's tormented mind, slicing painful rivets into his consciousness and making reality even more unbearable. The chemicals were doing odd things to him both physically and mentally. One moment he would be aware of the plain, white room and the fact that he was tied to a gurney. The next, he was wandering around in his own mind, climbing up a ladder and into his "Idea Factory", the place where he allowed the shadow of his former self to remain. Like a little child Joker shook with fear, his red eyes darting about anxiously. He searched and searched throughout the tall rows of filing cabinets, looking for the desk. Finally he found Jack there, lying on its surface and huddled in a fetal position._

_Jack, after a long while, finally looked up at him and glared. Joker frowned, he didn't hate his former self, only found little reason to BE him anymore. And yet, like a father, he wanted to take care of him in a strange way. Give him at least some kind of purpose, like keeping him busy here within the confines of his mind. Right now however, they both suffered horribly. The chemicals equaled fear. They brought about memories of the burning, sickness, and suffering...the awful, horrible transformation..._

_"Get the hell away from me, monster. Why are you here?" Jack's words were like ice, and they were painful to hear, the voice different and yet the same. There was no high and low pitch to his voice, no giggles or squeals...just a normal, everyday man._

_Joker's eyes remained wide and his expression was very timid, which was highly unusual for the Clown Prince of Crime. No one every saw Joker afraid...it was only here he'd let his true emotions reign. Hidden and never to be found by any one...not even ones that may have cared about him in his life._

_"Don't hate me, Jacky. I'm still here because of you, don't you understand that? We should be friends, you and I...not enemies." He slowly walked over to the desk and sat next to Jack with his knees up against his chest and flexing his toes nervously. "But I don't like this anymore than you do." There was a long silence, and Jack only continued to stare at him._

_"What should we do Jacky...to these insolent assholes that call themselves scientists? Look how they are using our body like a piece of meat...seeing how this works and how that works... oh look! It seems the chemicals have given the man enhanced strength! But what chemical was it, she asks? How did it do that? Did it literally change his genetic code? Ah there they are Jacky, injecting you over and over again. You're screaming, and crying, and retching all over the floor, but do they care? No. Not one damned bit. No one cares about you Jacky, they don't even REMEMBER you. They only know me, the Joker. They don't know who I was beforehand, and even if they did it wouldn't matter to them." _

_He ran his bluish fingernails through Jack's hair, as if comforting a small boy. Tears sprang to the man's eyes, as he clung tighter to the desk and clenched his teeth. But Joker could feel the anger welling, the betrayal, the sadness, the hurt, and the RAGE. He slowly grinned but tried hard to suppress a giggle. _

_Jacky's rage was all he needed. The more he gave in to Joker, the more he could do to get his revenge._

_He leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Tell me Jacky. Tell me what you want to happen to them."_

_Jack's face darkened, his eyes narrowing and body shaking all over. He spoke through his clenched teeth, forcing out the words with effort. "Hurt them...HURT THEM..."_

/

Ellie discovered quickly that Peter, or rather _Ragdoll_, was just as hard to keep up with as Joker was. Tall and lanky, he was very fast on his feet, and seemed to flow over corners and obstacles as if he were made of water. Panting Ellie kept following him, ducking into shadows or behind garbage dumpsters when he warned her of someone approaching. They were behind one particular foul smelling dumpster when an entire gang that looked like bad news passed by. The two remained silent as ever, although Peter hardly seemed nervous. When they were out of earshot, he turned to her, those eerie x'ed out eyes staring at her with hollow nothingness. Ellie shivered, she was very fond of Peter, but this outfit of his creeped her out.

"Ellie dear we are nearly at the asylum...where did our two Russian convicts go off to?" he whispered.

"They're laying low, Peter. I have a device here that will give them a signal when they are to come out and help us, and it also allows them to track us so they know where we are. Joker made this...he thinks of everything." she whispered back pointing at a small black band on her wrist, then peeked around the dumpster, hoping the coast was clear so they could move on. The smell was starting to get to her.

"All right, excellent. Let's mosey on down this alleyway, shall we?" Ellie followed him as he moved on, keeping as hidden as possible. There was certainly plenty of dark and shadow here, but the moon was out in full, casting an eerie glow about the city, so they had to be careful to say out of its rays. As they came to the next street, Ellie saw Arkham looming like an ominous black mountain in the near horizon. It was an absolutely huge establishment owned by Gotham's millionaire psychologist, Dr. William Bagley. However, rumor had it only about half the building was actually used. For whatever reason, it's older floors and wings had been shut down years ago. When it came to the word gothic, this place defined it in every sense of the word.

"Ah my dear, remember now, when we are close enough to reach the back, stay hidden outside while I look for an outside entrance to a ventilation duct. I believe I should be able to get in that way, although I have no idea where dear Jack is being held."

"I know, you can count on me. Peter? Be careful, ok? The last thing I need is for them to catch you, too. You're a godsend, helping us like this. I can't thank you enough."

He stopped moving, turning to her and temporarily removing his hood. She blinked into those emerald green eyes as they gazed back at her. There was something very warm in his gaze, and she couldn't help but blush. She nearly turned crimson as he got very close to her face then, his hot breath tingling over her skin.

The smirk on his face widened and he reached in, placing a brief but passionate kiss on her lips. "That will do quite nicely as thanks, for now." He chuckled, placed the hood back on, and was off in a flash. For a few moments Ellie had trouble breathing, she needed to clear her head.

She had been worrying about this. Peter and her had a past. And apparently...he still had an attraction to her. But right now, there wasn't time to deal with that issue. They had to rescue Joker, she couldn't bear to let him stay there for another night.

As they finally came upon the building, Ellie saw a security fence around its perimeter, and strobe lights flashing all around.

"Just how are we going to get over the fence?"

Peter didn't answer her, he had crept forward and low to the ground, and she did the same. He moved slowly along the fence, seeming to examine very inch of it. After what felt like an eternity, he turned to her with another huge smirk. "There, my dear. Not very big, but we can thank the local wild rabbits for helping us out."

A hole was under the fence, indeed, dug out by rabbits. It wasn't very big, but Ellie knew that Peter had amazing talents to get into very small, tight places. He reached his head under as if determining its size, before pulling back and motioning with his hands to dig. Ellie dived right in, helping him to heave dirt away as fast as possible. There were perimeter guards on duty, and eventually they'd be walking by this area. After several minutes the size of the hole had nearly tripled, and Peter didn't hesitate to shove himself in. Ellie cringed, she wasn't exactly claustrophobic, but watching him squeeze himself into such cramped places made her uncomfortable. A few more minutes went by, and Ellie saw a guard several yards away getting closer, although he was currently busy chatting on a cell phone.

"Peter? Peter?" she called quietly, just as he emerged on the other side of fence, covered in dirt. He turned towards her quickly. "Ellie you can't possibly fit through, it was tight enough for me. So find a place to hide until I signal _you_." She nodded, handing him another one of the tracking devices which he snapped onto his wrist.

"Please be careful..." she pleaded after him as he headed towards the giant stone walls of Arkham.

Ragdoll kept close to the wall, using his thin frame to nearly blend in, his hands and eyes constantly searching for a way in. After a few ducks behind bushes or large boulders when a few security guards or strobe lights came near, he looked up and found an old ventilation grate. He scaled up the small distance easily, finding plenty of footholds in the ancient stones. Listening carefully, he could not hear any fans running, it was obviously not functioning or being used. Grinning inwardly he pried at the grate, but it seemed to be screwed in, although a bit loose around the edges.

"Tsk tsk, Dr. Bagley. So many big bills in your pockets, and yet you can't even upkeep poor Arkham and her fine security?" He removed a small metal tool from in his sleeve and carefully pried the screws loose. As it fell, he caught it with one foot and made sure it hit the bushes below, to minimize any unusual noise. The sound of rustling bushes could easily be assumed a stray cat or a rabbit, of which there were plenty of around here.

Peter assessed the small, square opening and groaned. Despite his triple-jointed assets, this would require dislocating shoulders and elbows which was painful, and be slow-going as he forced himself through. Joker was going to _owe him big_ for this one. Not to mention there were probably tons of cobwebs, spiders, and god knows what else in there.

"I do believe I am getting a bit old for this shit. Ah well...it's for Ellie, after all." With that he stuck his head in, popped his shoulders out of place in order to get them through, and wormed his way into the maze of the ventilation system.

/

The lab-coat, a nameless woman with cold hazel eyes who still hadn't cracked the slightest expression during the entire experiment, tapped her pen on her pad as she watched Joker. After the now tenth injection, he was convulsing, having trouble breathing, and twitching all over. Vomit that consisted of blood, bile, and foaming saliva was all over him and the floor, but it hardly seemed to affect anyone in the room, except for a few of the orderlies, who had to turn their backs.

"I think that's enough doctor. It seems he's not recovering as fast now."

"Agreed. Although I'm disappointed, he did so well with the arsenic. It's the cyanide that he seems to have the most trouble with. Perhaps we will try again in a month, once he's recovered enough."

"Anyone else would have died from that first injection. He truly is a remarkable subject. We have yet to identify all the chemicals that altered him, but it seems they indeed had some DNA-altering properties, and have made him immune to nearly all known poisons. Fascinating."

"There is still much more to find out, Dr. Bagley. In time. In time. For right now, we don't want to kill our test subject."

Joker could hear them, but he couldn't respond. His muscles were twitching violently and his stomach was clenching so hard he would try to retch, but nothing would come out anymore. The pain was all over him, and excruciating. His moans and screams were only drowned out by the next involuntary convulsion.

The doctor gave him one last injection. It felt like a hot poker going into his skin, and even her shirt cuff, just barely touching him, made him want to scream...his nerves were on fire. Thankfully, it was a sedative.

Blessed, drugged sleep. It was finally over.

But even as he drifted off into semi-consciousness, his mind kept going. All of the Jokers were angry. Very, _very_ angry.

And in the midst of them all, stood Jack, tears streaming down his face and his hands clutched into fists at his sides. A well-dressed, classic-looking Joker in a much darker purple coat-tail stood next to him. It seemed this one stood out from the rest...the current leader. But this one, was the worst of them all. He peered out of the corner of his eye and grinned wide, but it was incredibly malicious and sinister. The other Jokers around him followed suit, but strangely kept their distance from the two.

"Jaaacky...time for me to come out, yes?" He spoke slowly and calmy, and drawing out the words in a very eerie fashion.

Jack didn't answer right away, staring straight ahead.

"When you wake up, I will be there...and I will _murder_ each and every one of them nice and slow for you, Jacky-boy. Oh the _plans_ I have. Deadly, fast-acting Joker gas? A venom that causes intense, burning agony even as it makes them laugh uncontrollably? Or perhaps I'll just bind them in chains by their feet and dangle them over one of the chemical vats, slowly lowering them down face-first as they scream and beg for mercy?"

Jack finally turned to him, shaking all over. He took a few steps towards him and leaned into his chest. Joker instantly grabbed him, hugging painfully tight, but Jack didn't care.

"D'aww. Don't worry. I'll make it all better. No one's going to use you like a guinea pig, Jacqueline, and get away with it. Oh no. Oh..._**no**_."

Jack shivered at the voice of this terrible, terrible side of his mind...normally he managed to keep him at bay. But not today.

No..._today_ he would let the Dark Joker out.

/

_Thanks to anyone still reading this story. It was on hiatus a while since I was writing Jeepers Creepers fanfics, but then I got the urge to continue it. The first half of this chapter had been written some time ago._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9-

The Breakout

After the tortourous experiment was complete on Joker, he was unstrapped from the gurney, still convulsing and drawing in ragged, uneven breaths. Dr. Bagley watched and followed as the strong orderlies hauled him back to his cell, this time carrying him. They opened the heavy metal door of 223 and set him down with surprising gentleness, but contempt still reigned in their eyes.

"Hope this little shit dies." One of them said before turning away and walking out.

"Yeah, the entire city is better off without this freak." Another acted as if he wanted to kick Joker in the side, but the clown cried out and then spasmed in agony as the toxins were still high in his system, and the sedative was not working well. The orderly smirked with narrowed eyes and walked out. Dr. Bagley watched him for a while, his own smirk slowly spreading across his features as he adjusted his glasses.

"Told you I hated clowns." With that he finally stepped out and the door was slammed shut and locked, leaving Joker lying there in terrible pain.

/

The ventilation system had proven quite a challenge for Peter. Some areas were full of debris having not been used in so many years, and he had to shove and push the crap around in order to get through. His throat and lungs felt itchy and breathing was getting harder, but he wouldn't give up. At first finding Joker seemed impossible, because Arkham was so big the vents seemed to go on for miles like a maze, with many turns and twists. However, Peter had heard cries and screams that had garnered his attention. The familiarity had caused him to turn back around...not an easy feat as he squeezed and shoved his limbs at very odd angles...but it also pained his heart. Those were some nearly inhuman sounds he had been hearing. Trying to ignore it for now and concentrate on his goal, he kept moving slowly through the square, cramped space. For now, he ignored the terrible pain in his shoulder joints...but once he found Joker, he was certain he would not be able to go back through the vents again. Hopefully, Joker would have a good plan to escape...he always thought of something...but if not, they would need to take a more risky approach.

/

Ellie had been trying to stay out of sight of the perimeter guards, and so far she had succeeded. Now keeping low behind a small tree, she peered out, searching for her two new big friends but they were doing an amazingly good job at staying hidden. She had to feel proud about that...they were very gifted at being quiet. The tracker device on her wrist beeped...it was a signal from Peter. He had found Joker's cell. Heart racing, Ellie looked around carefully before darting from the tree and trying to follow his signal. She ended up on the east side of Arkham...the abandoned area.

Why in the world was Joker being held there?

/

"Oh...my word." Peter removed the small ventilation grate that led into the cell and pulled himself forward with great effort to get his head out and peer down at Joker. The Clown was lying in a heap, blood and vomit near his head. His breathing was very wet-sounding and low moans constantly escaped him.

"Jack? Jack?" Peter went quiet a moment, realizing this name would probably just be ignored by Joker, even subconsciously. "Joker, answer me. It's your old friend, Peter." He managed to get one arm out then the other. There was nothing to hang onto to, except the outer edges of the vent, so he was only able to cling for a moment before falling out...but managed to land on his feet in a crouching position. He cringed in pain, all of his joints screaming at him.

"God damn it ...sucks to get old." Peter ambled forward a bit while rubbing his shoulders, and frowned. "But it sucks even more to be _you_ right now." He tilted his head. "Joker? Can you hear me?"

Joker moved a little. His eyes fluttered open but only momentarily. He seemed to be trying very hard to answer and finally managed to utter one word out. "Rag-sy?"

"Yes. Listen, I've come to bust you out. But now things are really difficult for me here, my friend. I didn't expect you to be in such a state!" His frown deepened and he put a comforting hand on his shoulder, feeling his whole body trembling and his clothes were soaked through with sweat. "What have Arkham's finest assholes done to you?"

He waited, but Joker didn't...or couldn't respond. Sighing Peter looked around the room and shook his head, then tapped a button on his transmitter.

/

Ellie heard another beep and looked at her wrist while hiding in a bush. Two other dots on the tracker starting moving. Things were in motion now. They wouldn't have much time to get out of there once Joker was busted out...any doors knocked down would trigger alarms, and so would anyone trying to come in through the front gates.

The two Russian convicts didn't bother with stealth any longer once they emerged from their hiding spots. Using their brute strength to get in and rescue what they hoped would be their new boss was the only thing on their minds. Boris and Vladimir headed quickly to the gate with their big lumbering steps and simply crashed on through. When the guards saw them and starting drawing weapons or shouting at them to freeze, they kept on barreling forward. They grabbed the men and proceeded to either throw them pell-mell over the gate or punch them square in the face, breaking jaws and knocking them out into crumpled heaps. Many others tried to stop them, but the two were entirely too strong. They entered into the building, alarms and sirens going off all around them. Boris, the larger of the two, gazed down at the transmitter that was on his right wrist and followed the beeping dot that indicated Peter's location. They found a stairwell and quickly headed down to the lower levels.

/

In the batcave, Bruce Wayne saw his computer light up and warning lights flash in the classic bat symbol.

"Arkham Asylum...someone has busted _in _to the facility?"

His butler, Alfred, had just been pouring him a drink of cold lemonade and quirked a brow. "Usually, inmates are trying to get out, not in."

"I know Alfred. But I have a strong feeling I know what's going on."

"Sir?"  
"Joker's Ace." He narrowed his eyes and quickly pulled the cowl over his head, pushing a button on his sleeve to activate the Batmobile.

/

"Oh, dear God. Jack, hang in there." Joker had gone into a severe convulsion, and Peter was straining to hold him down and on his side, so he wouldn't roll onto his back and choke on his own tongue. The screams were hard enough to hear, but watching his friend thrash around in agony was much worse. There wasn't much else he could do for him. Peter heard the sirens, and felt the slight impact tremors of doors being knocked down and could hear bricks scattering about. The Russian convicts were on their way, but they'd better hurry. Joker was in very bad condition, and all of them would need to help him get to an Underground doctor as soon as possible.

"We're going to find out what those bastards did to you...and OH how they'll pay." Peter said through clenched teeth, just as the door to Joker's cell came crashing down. The impact actually caused him to fall on his backside, but he saw the two gazing down at him with a grin.

"Good timing..."

They grinned wider, but when they saw Joker, their expressions immediately fell. Boris looked back at Peter, concerned.

"Don't worry about it right now. Pick him up and get him out of here! I'll stay close behind you and help out where I can."

They nodded and Vladimir picked up Joker, who groaned at the handling. The three of them ran out of the cell and headed right. The instant they did guards were heading down towards them. Boris managed to punch out several, but an armed officer suddenly drew a gun and screamed "Freeze or I'll shoot!"

Peter grimaced and came out from behind Vlad, dashing quickly and avoiding a few attempts at being grabbed by another guard, contorting at nearly impossible angles with a laugh. His arms hung lazily for a second and he grinned wide. "You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread doll!" He struck out a solid kick at the armed officer just before he could shoot off his gun, but the guy was obviously skilled and quickly reached for his baton. He managed to draw it out and whack Peter good on the shoulder, who cried out in pain.

"OUCH. Not nice, where are your manners?" He turned to see Boris gazing down at him, then glaring at the officer. "My dear fellow, show this man why it's not nice to hit your new friend Ragdoll". Boris scowled and drew back his fist. When it connected with the officer there was a loud crack of breaking bone. Whether he was now dead or just knocked out cold, none of them cared and quickly continued making their escape.

/

Ellie was at the wheel of the Joker's van on a dark corner of a nearby street, drumming her fingers nervously. Time was running out fast, she could see the action going on in the distance, with lights flashing and sirens still screaming through the air. Gotham PD were starting to come in, but even worse would be if the Batman showed up. They had to escape before he did, there was no way in hell she'd let the Bat just lock Joker up again.

The dots on the transmittor were getting closer. Ellie held her breath as she saw the two big men lumbering towards her, with a shorter, lankier figure in front.

/

"There's the van! Hurry you two, hurry! We'll head to the Labyrinth!" Peter yelled over his shoulder, but he wasn't sure the two knew what he was talking about. Still, they just nodded at him and attempted to pick up their speed. Ellie turned the engine and sped the van towards them, squealing on the brakes just a few feet away. Peter ran around to the back, swinging the doors open as Boris and Vladimir lumbered inside with Joker. He quickly jumped in himself and slammed the doors shut just as Gotham PD police cars started closing in.

"Hurry! Go Ellie, go!"

"All right! I'm heading to the warehouse fast as I can!" She put the pedal to the medal, tires screeching and bringing up smoke as they took off at top speed.

"No! Not the warehouse, Joker needs to see Dr. Adamson! NOW!"

"What?" Ellie gasped, giving a quick glance over her shoulder but only able to see the tops of their heads.

Peter turned to her, pulling off his hood, his green eyes screaming urgency. "No time for explanations, just go!"

"Okay, okay!" Tears sprang to her eyes, something was obviously very wrong with her Jack. But without any further hesitation she took a hard spin in the other direction, tearing past several police cars and clipping one which spun out of control and crashed into a street lamp.

The Underground Labyrinth. Perhaps the only safe place for the villains of Gotham City, but Ellie had to be sure no one followed them there. It was a top secret hideout that no one, not even Batman, had managed to infiltrate. Even those that managed to get inside, unwelcome, discovered why it was called the Labyrinth when they got lost in its immense hallways. Most never made it out alive. Ellie made another hard right at a back road and then turned onto the grass and carefully sped through the woods, heading away from the city.

/

Batman arrived at Arkham Asylum. He was quickly approached by Chief Rojas, who instantly warned him to stay out of the way.

"The Gotham PD can handle this, Batman. We don't need you screwing things up!"

"At least tell me what happened here."  
"Someone broke Joker out. We have guards and officers down, but I've got a search squad chasing after Joker's van which was seen heading towards Estoria. If you get in the way, it's only going to be harder to-"

"Estoria?" Batman's eyed widened. "That ancient town is outside of the city...and abandoned."  
"I know that, genius. I'm sure they're headed to the infamous Labyrinth. But that's just good news for us. We find that place and figure out its secrets, we can clean out a lot of the scum hiding there. Now get lost!" Chief Rojas jabbed a threatening finger towards him before spinning around back to his squad car. A bunch of officers followed and raced off following him.

Batman narrowed his eyes. Chief Rojas needed to understand he was trying to help. Ignoring his warnings, he jumped back into his super charged car and headed for Estoria.

"Alfred, don't bother with making dinner tonight. I might be gone for a few days."

"Understood, sir. Be careful."

/

The trees of the woods became closer and the ground bumpier the farther they went. Ellie had to concentrate hard on where she was going so as not to crash into anything. Peter was shouting directions, but underneath his voice she could hear Joker's moans and screams.

_Oh...oh god...Jack? My Jack! What have they done to you?_

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, a huge boulder came into view and Ellie had no choice but to slam on the brakes, the tires kicking up huge clumps of wet mud as they slid. They came within inches of hitting it.

"Okay, now put this van in reverse and maneuver it behind the boulder."

"What about the tire marks?"

"The ground is very wet here. I'm hoping the tracks at some point are going to be hidden by water welling up in the grooves. This is swampland...and if we're really lucky, a good rain will fall and make our lives easier. But, well...we can't worry about it right now. Our last line of defense is the Labyrinth itself. Only us chosen few know how to navigate its tunnels." He opened the doors and clambered out with Boris and Vladimir, the latter who was holding Joker and staring at him, very worried. He had currently gone still, becoming dangerously quiet.

Ellie quickly hopped out of the driver seat after hiding the van behind the boulder as Peter instructed. She noticed the van's tires sinking into the ground, they might not be able to get it out of the swamp if it sunk too far in...

"Ellie, this way, quickly." She followed Peter and the others as they headed to what looked like a great, yawning cave entrance.

"Wow, it was built into a cave system. How clever." She marveled at the thought.

"Yes, but by whom? That is something that no one has ever been able to figure out."

They took a few steps in, and noticed a bright orange light coming towards them.

"Looks like a torch. We've been noticed."

Ellie squinted to see in the darkness. Finally, her eyes started to figure out a short frame as it neared. Sharp teeth grinned back at them.

"Well well. Mr. Peter Merkel, our infamous Ragdoll. And whose the pretty lady?" The eyes widened. "And who the hell are those two giants holding the Clown?"

"My dear Oswald, we don't have time for pleasantries or explanations at this moment. Joker needs to see Dr. Adamson straight away."

Penguin had a torch in one hand, and his razor-edged umbrella in another held up towards them. He looked back and forth at them a few times before deciding it was safe to trust the situation and lowered it. "All right...but let it not be said I never did anything for you. This way."

/

The halls of the great Laybrinth made Arkham look like a tiny cottage in comparison. Ellie found herself gaping at the sheer size of it as they walked briskly, but this was only the entrance. After a few minutes, Penguin led them around to the left, where another fork came into view, then another, then another. By the time another few minutes passed, she had no idea where they were, and it seemed the place was endless.

"I think our good doctor is here, in this room." He turned to the left, where a very crude, simple stone door with the number "5" was. He used the tip of the blade on his umbrella to scratch at the stone a few times. There was the loud clank of a lock, and the incredibly heavy door was opened, light flooding their eyes.

"There's electricity down here?" Ellie asked in awe, as they all stepped in.

"Yep, I believe it's stolen from the city. Don't ask me how they manage that...I just hideout here." He grinned and Penguin stopped in the middle of the room. Surrounding them was an area that looked very much like a hospital. They were gurneys, curtains, and medical supplies on tables all over the place, but it seemed a bit unorganized. Currently Ellie was staring at a tall, dark-haired man receiving some stitches.

"That's Riddler...otherwise known as Niggles." He laughed, but Riddler looked over and glared at him.

"Mr. Nigma will do, Cobblepot." He said sternly. The man stitching him finally turned his face towards them, looking up from his work. He looked very young, with dark blonde hair and warm, brown eyes. He was dressed like a typical doctor, in a white lab-coat, but he was wearing jeans underneath and had a few scars on his face, and one on his right hand.

"You must be Dr. Adamson," Ellie said anxiously, her teary eyes setting on him. "Please help Jack...I mean Joker...he's in real bad shape and none of us know why."

Riddler watched, saying nothing as the doctor got up and offered a hand. "Call me Brian. And who are you?"  
"My name's Ellie. Ace on the streets. You know Ragdoll I take it?"

"Yes. Mr. Merkel is a good friend, I've helped him from time to time with his joint problems." He suddenly frowned, looking down at Joker. "I will help Mr. Napier, of course. Set him on a gurney. Edward, I think you'll be fine now." He called over his shoulder as he followed Boris who put him down carefully. Riddler nodded and after grabbing a few extra bandages and staring at the group another long minute, wordlessly left the room. The stone door shut heavily behind him.

Ellie was momentarily stunned. _He knows Jack? He said his last name..._

"So sweet thing, Ellie is it? Cute _and_ pretty." Penguin interrupted her thoughts, and she couldn't help but crack a grin at him. " Thanks. I've heard about you. One of Gotham's finest villains."

He smiled wide at her comment.

"It's Oswald right?"

"Yes mam.." he took off his hat and bowed. "Oswald Cobblepot, at your service."

Ellie grinned. He was a strange sort of man, but she liked him already. "Ellie Quinton. Nice to meet you."

Suddenly a loud groan filled the room, and Ellie's face fell instantly.

"Look like Jokester's in bad shape. I think I'll leave the doctor to his talents, my dear...but seriously...you need anything, you call me anytime." He flashed a sharp-toothed grin at her once more before making his own exit.

"Thank you for your help..." she said just as the door closed. Turning all of her attention back to Joker, she pulled over a chair and sat down next to him, running a hand through his green locks.

Ellie glanced over at Peter and the two giants, who were keeping out of the way but watching silently in their gloomy mood.

"Doctor Adamson?"

He was currently checking Joker's pulse and frowning.

"Oh dear. Another chemical therapy I'm afraid."  
"What?" Ellie didn't like the sound of that at all.

He clucked his tongue. "Those insolent creeps...how can they do this to a human being?"

"What are you talking about?" Ellie cried, fresh tears streaming down her face.

"I need to draw blood, Ellie, and find out what they've injected him with." He put an oxygen mask over the Clown's face, which seemed to cause him to relax a bit as he breathed more easily. "Hold him. He won't like the needle." Dr. Adamson said, motioning for Peter to come and help as well. "I could use straps, but I don't think that would be wise. I don't want to stress the poor man out any more, he's suffering enough. So you two hold him, and talk to him if you need to." Ellie just nodded, trying not to break down into sobs while Peter restrained his left side.

Dr. Adamson unwrapped a new needle from its package and attached a catheter. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but the instant the needle touched Joker's flesh, he freaked out.

"No! NO! NO!" He screamed, his voice hoarse and raw.

"Joker, it's all right! This is not a toxin. It's me Brian, you're safe in the Labyrinth. I just need some blood, to figure out what-"

"Arsen-ic. Cy-a-nide..." Joker croaked out, his eyes still tightly shut. "No needle...doc...no..."

At hearing this, even Peter had tears brimming in his eyes now. One of his hands curled into a very tight, trembling fist.

"Good lord." Brian quickly jotted the poisons down on a notepad. "Anything else? Can you remember what else they may have injected you with?"

"Shi-ga...cholera..." Joker was straining to say the words, his voice weak. Brian wrote down the other toxins and sighed sadly.

"Treating this will be very difficult...for the cyanide, the most lethal one, I can start giving him doses of amyl nitrate, followed by sodium nitrite intravenously, and perhaps hydroxocobalamin. I could also use sulfanegen TEA, but there is no guarantee this will help let alone affect him...his body resists so many known chemicals that it's impossible to know what will work and what won't."

Ellie was lost, she had no idea what the doctor was talking about, but if it would help Joker that was all that mattered to her. "Just do what you can, please!"

Peter nodded in agreement. "Any normal person would already be dead...he has to have resistance to some of these poisons, if not all of them...but apparently they've gone and given him incredibly high doses, maybe more so than...usual. So he'll need the help. But good God Brian I had no idea they were doing this to him! How long have you known about it?"

The doctor sighed and got up, getting the treatments out of a cabinet. He attached a bag of yellowish fluid to Joker's IV and sat back down again, once again listening to his heartbeat with his stethoscope.

"A while...he asked me not tell anyone. But considering the circumstances..."

"Doc..." Joker mumbled suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Kill me...kill..." he started to writhe around on the table again, and it took all of Peter and Ellie's strength to hold him.

"Oh no, Joker, I couldn't do that. I'm going to help you get better, is what I'm going to do. How you choose to take it from there is up to you." He nodded at him. "You're strong, you'll make it. Hang in there." Dr. Adamson cranked up the IV to full flow, and then raised the gurney until Joker was in more of a sitting position. "Drink this, my friend." He held a small paper cup up to his red lips. " No injections. A strong oral sedative so you can escape the pain while you recover."

Joker did his best to drink it. When Brian was sure he'd keep it down, he nodded, satisfied as Joker drifted off into a deep sleep.

"Now we just wait. He'll make it. You'll see."

Peter smiled at Ellie, who smiled back at him, relief in her eyes.

"You're a godsend, Dr. Brian. How did you come to help villains as a doctor for them?"

"Ah, well two things first, Miss Quinton. The first being that I insist you call me Brian, there's no need for doctor. And second, I prefer to call these people "Underground Civilians", rather than...villains. It is not always the appropriate word for those who choose to live a different life. Some _have_ no choice, after all."

Ellie nodded instantly. "I understand that...it's exactly how I feel about him." She gazed at Joker lovingly and clutched his hand. "I don't want him to suffer anymore. I can't bear it." She shook her head. "And to know now what Arkham is doing to him...he can't ever be allowed to go back there! Not _ever_!"

"Yes. But even more important, dear Ellie, is revenge. And you can be sure I am going to assist Joker in getting it." Peter's voice was low and serious, his usual charm gone. Ellie blinked at him but nodded slowly. What could she do but agree? Whoever hurt Jack like this was going to suffer...even she felt they deserved it. Using a human being like a guinea pig was...inexcusable, to say the least.

But for now, she wanted time alone with Jack. He seemed stable enough, and she needed to talk to him.

"Doc, can he hear me if I talk to him?"

"Yes. I believe he can." He seemed to understand. "You want some time alone?"

"Please."

"Sure. Not a problem. If anything happens, we will be in the other room next door." She nodded, gratefully as the doctor, Peter, and the the two Russian convicts respectfully exited so she could be alone with him.

The instant they were gone, Ellie looked down at Joker and burst into tears. She needed a good cry, and let the sobs come, soaking his chest as she carefully laid her head down on him.

"Ohhhh god...Jack! How could they do this to you? _How? _They're...they're...goddam **inhuman!**"

She was at least reassured by his steadily beating heart, the rapid pace had calmed considerably, and his breathing had become steady and even. Leaning down, she whispered closely into his ear. "I love you, do you hear me? I love you so much."

/

Deep within his mind, the words "I love you" rang out, strong and clear. Many of the Jokers looked up and around, surprised looks on their faces. Jack, who had been sitting on a park bench with his face in his hands, slowly looked up. A big smile spread across his face.

"She said she loved me..."

Dark Joker, who had been pacing back and forth waiting eagerly for his turn, stopped and looked at the man. "Pfft. Please. How sickeningly sentimental..."

Jack frowned, but his eyes glared at him. "You are not to hurt Ellie. You understand me? You go out there and do your dirty work to get back at those bastards who did this to me...but I swear to you, lay one _finger_ on Ellie in any negative fashion and I will HURT you!" He shot up to his feet, shaking now in anger.

Surprisingly, Dark Joker, or otherwise sometimes called "DJ" by Jack, stepped back with hands out in front of him.

"Eeeeeasy Jacqueline, you're the boss! I'm not here to hurt Ellie, your precious little girlfriend." A sinister, deep grin erupted onto his face quickly and he slowly stepped foward towards him. "I'm here to murder, torture, maim, cut, and BEAT the living shit out of your tormentors...and not exactly in that order of course...but Ellie would just be fun on the side. She might really like my version of peeling open a surprise_ package_...if you get my drift." He waggled his eyebrows looking down at himself for a moment and cackled, clutching his stomach in twisted glee.

Jack made a disgusted look and sat back down, his green eyes still riveted on him. " I may not be able to have Ellie, but just because you can be intimate with her, Joker, doesn't mean I'll let you hurt her. In _any_ way."

DJ frowned angrily. He didn't like Jack playing dominant. But then again...he _was_ the boss, no matter how much him and the other Jokers hated it. He stepped closer and leaned over the park bench, getting close to his face.

"My dear Jack..." he said, low and drawing out the words. "...your Ellie is safe. Trust me." He stood up again, staring off and clutching his hands together with an eerily wide grin. "What I want is blood, pain, and _screams_ from those who've hurt YOU. And _lots_ of it. Am I not your crowning achievement? Your greatest ally?" He looked back down at Jack again, but the man was suddenly cowering from him. DJ chuckled low in his throat. "Don't fear me, Jacky-boy. You _made_ me. You should be a very proud papa!"

"I'm not proud of you. Don't ever say that to me." He turned away, not wanting to look at him anymore.

DJ seemed to ignore the comment entirely. "Now I think you're feeling better, aren't you? Time for me to wakey-wakey, Jacky!"

/

The room started out fuzzy at first. After blinking several times it finally came into view, cabinets, chairs, gurneys, tables with medical instruments...bright lights.

_Uhhg! Damn lights are hurting my eyes...wait...gurneys?_

Joker sat up quickly as panic flooded him, being reminded of a certain torture room. He saw that his clothes had been removed and he was wearing only a gown, so it made him a little more nervous. But after a few seconds he realized he wasn't in Arkham. A vague memory of a conversation with Dr. Brian Adamson...was it true? He was in the Labyrinth?

His question was answered for him when he noticed there was a sleeping form right next to him. It was Ellie.

He grinned and ran a hand through her hair. She stirred, blinking up towards him groggily at first.

"J-Joker?"

"Ah yes, my Acie. It's me. Did you bring me here?" He looked around, confused. "How did I get out of Arkham?"

"You...don't remember anything?" She asked, her sad eyes fixed on him.

"No...well yes...I remember something with Peter, and then Dr. Brian, but considering I was all drugged up I thought maybe it was a dream-"

"No Jack, no dream. Those _demons_ at Arkham tortured you! Dr. Adamson gave you treatment for the cyanide, but you mentioned other poisons..." Her voice fell away as she saw him scowl, and the look on his face was frightening indeed.

"Oh I remember now. Yes. I have a very strong urge to find out what the inside of Dr. Bagley's guts will look like after I've poured raw chemicals down his throat..."

Ellie's sharp intake of breath only made Joker grin more maliciously. "Among many, _many_ other things." He grinned at her again and she tried to push away his disturbing comment. "You've saved my life, Ellie."

"Peter did, too." She smiled back.

"Ragsy! D'aww, what a chum! I'm going to have to remind myself to get more triple-jointed contortionists on my side. They come in handy!" He slid his legs off the bed, but groaned in pain, gripping his arm. "Yowza. That still burns like a bitch."

Ellie sighed, and leaned in to hug him. "I was so worried about you."

Chuckling, he hugged her back, but there was something sort of cold to his embrace. Ellie felt concerned...which Joker was this? She understood that Jack's multiple personality disorder was probably one of the most extreme cases in history. He had a very complex, confusing side to Joker...who had a version for almost every emotion, hence why the Clown could drastically change his moods at the drop of a hat.

This was not one she recognized. His comment before had already chilled her to the bone, even though she knew Joker wasn't exactly a nice guy most of the time.

"Oh, and I almost forgot, you have some new friends, too. If you'll let them join you. They've already proven themselves by risking their own necks to break you out...although, they're not exactly easy to take down." Joker seemed to brighten up considerably at her words.

"Ooooo! New recruits? Let me see, let me see!" Like an excited child he bounced up and down on the gurney a few times. Ellie couldn't help but smile at his antics, and she told him to wait a minute while she went next door.

Minutes later she came back with them, as well as Peter and the doctor.

Joker kept his classic grin on his face the entire time. He got up off the gurney after removing the IV himself, and simply gave Peter a few pats on the shoulder, but Peter knew to take this as a rare and very strong thank you.

When he reached the two Russian convicts, he looked positively thrilled.

"Well hello there, boys! _Big_ boys, I might add...mamma must have made sure you drank your Ovaltine! Whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?" He looked them up and down, rubbing his chin.

They looked at each other, then back at him.

"They don't speak Joker, for some reason they both appear to be mutes."

He was still staring at them, as if in deep thought.

Rather than appear disturbed as most people would by his scrutiny, they simply smiled at him.

"Ahhh...Punch and Judy!"

"Huh?" Ellie blinked at him.

Joker turned, giggling. "Perfect nicknames for them, doncha think?"

"You mean the famous puppet show?" She smirked. Well this was certainly very much like Joker...he was definitely feeling better.

"Yep! So what do you boys think, like it?"

They nodded, exchanging glances again.

"I'll have to get outfits for you of course, so you can play the part! Punch is the bigger one, Judy the other. Looove it!" He sang, and gleefully spun around in a circle. Then he put a hand to his chest as if about to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Now my new main marionettes, do you solemnly swear to obey my every command and do what I say at all times, no matter what?" He put his hands on his sides, waiting.

They only grinned and nodded, without hesitation.

"Excellent, splendid! You passed! Welcome to Team Joker!"

Ellie rolled her eyes, it was always about complete control. Peter only smirked at his friend.

But Boris and Vladimir seemed awfully pleased. Having new nicknames didn't bother them at all.

Dr. Adamson cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Joker, you seem much improved, but take it easy. It's quite possible you could have some...aftershocks, if you will. They dosed you with quite a bit of poison, and you were not doing so well before you came here."

"Thanks doc, I'll keep it in mind. And I owe you one." He grinned. "So many friends, I'm a spoiled clown!"

Brian came closer and frowned at him. "At one point, you asked me to kill you."

Joker's smile faded. He shrugged helplessly. "I suppose you could say I was at a breaking point."

For a while, the room was silent. Then Brian spoke again. "They know now what's been going on with you. I had to tell them."

"Brian, my main doc, don't worry about it. I think I can trust everyone here in this room."

"I know..."

"So what's troubling you?"

"I don't want you to be suicidal."

Joker was confused by this talk. He wasn't used to people showing such genuine concern for him. It made him uncomfortable and a bit vulnerable which was even worse, but everyone here _did_ know him.

"Doc I was heavily drugged...don't allow Jacky's mumblings to concern you."

The doctor just nodded sadly. It was those mumblings that had revealed his true name to him in the first place, some time ago.

"Well...I suppose we're going to have to lay low for a while, hmmm?" he turned and faced Ellie.

"Yeah...we can't get back to the warehouse...I'm sure by now all of Gotham's finest know where it is. Maybe we can just stay here in the Labyrinth?"

"It's not a place to make into a permanent abode, unless one likes that sort of thing." Joker pouted. "I don't. I like having my own place...and my own _toys_." He grinned wickedly, tapping his fingers together. "I have many hideouts, and well, there's always a nice hostile takeover approach if I need to."

Ellie blinked. "Ohh, let me guess, you've done that before."

"Of course I have. Pengy's place is nice! Or maybe even Mr. Niggles, he's got all kinds of fancy gadgets or technology I could steal...and-"

"Not a chance, Clown, stay out of my territory. Now whose your new whore, Joker? I don't think we've been formally introduced." The voice surprised everyone as they all turned their heads to the door.

Riddler was standing there, holding his question mark staff and looking smug.

Ellie bristled at being called a whore, but she fought to contain herself. Creating a scene was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.

What she did know is that she already didn't like this creep.

Joker's face darkened. "My goodness Riddler, is that how you treat all the women? Oh wait, being that one can barely even define your gender, perhaps its _men_ you prefer. So of course you'd think all women are whores."

Riddler lost his smug grin, but didn't move. "I'm disappointed in the doctor. He should know your version of thanks might just include killing him later." The grin returned, showing his perfect, white teeth. "What did they do to you anyway? Did they hurt you with chemicals, little clown-boy? Did it burn terribly? _Good_, I say."

"What has he got against you?" Ellie whispered to Joker, trying hard to resist the urge to rush the man and punch him square in the nose.

But Joker only grinned wide and cackled maniacally. After a couple of minutes, he shrugged and put on a feigned air of innocence. "Ohhh, nothing much. He just had a new little wife who was so...bored. One fun little day I meet her at Ed's lab, looking to steal some cool new device whilst I was planning one of my first big schemes...when I find to my great amusement that she's a _horny_ little fink. Apparently, she just needed a good time, and I gave it to her! Well then doncha know...she kept sneaking off to see me again and again! " Joker stopped to laugh insanely for another few minutes, the growing tension in the room could be cut with a knife as Riddler ground his teeth as he listened.

Ellie could not believe what she was hearing, but it didn't exactly surprise her. There were several years that had passed after Jack had gone missing, what happened between then and when she reunited with him as Joker she did not know. But stories like this seemed to be coming up out of nowhere when she least expected it.

"So after a while...she went and left our poor dear Edward not too long after and moved to a completely different town. And poor Niggles has been all alone in his bed since." He paused, once again looking childishly innocent, although his red eyes seemed to glow with malice. "That _could_ be why he's a little, ya know...sour with me."

Riddler suddenly roared out and came at him, raising his staff which bristled with electric currents. Dr. Adamson acted first and shoved a gurney at him, but Riddler slammed it away with the staff and kept coming towards Joker. The Clown laughed all the while, jumping up onto tables and bouncing off of walls as Nigma tried to strike him again and again. Medical equipment went crashing to the floor all around them.

"You fucking bastard!" He twirled the staff around, catching it in a horizontal position under his arm and started firing off electric bolts.

"Stop it, Riddler! You're going to destroy my medical ward!" Dr. Adamson ran at him, trying to get the staff, but he only got zapped and fell to the ground, knocked out. The man was definitely a doctor, but not a fighter.

"I _am _a fucking bastard, Niggles! A bastard who was fucking your ex-_wife_, that is!" Again he cackled, and kept expertly avoiding Riddler, who was better with gadgets than kung-fu.

"Ok enough of this. Punch, would you be so kind as to deal with Riddler? He's got to stop having his little tantrum now, poor Dr. Adamson did not deserve to be treated so badly." It was Peter who spoke, who had been leaning up against the far wall and watching with arms crossed the entire time.

Punch nodded and headed straight for Riddler. When he saw the giant coming near him, he scowled and quickly made his exit out the door. Clearly Riddler would not attempt to take on someone much stronger than him.

"Coward." Peter mumbled under his breath. With things finally settled down again, Peter walked over to Ellie after putting the doctor on a gurney and sighed. "They are bitter enemies, those two. Keep an eye out for Edward Nigma, Ellie. He is a very cold, cruel man and he would kill you in an instant...just for being someone associated with Joker." He narrowed his eyes as he looked around at the broken vials of glass all over the floor, medicine wasted everywhere. Thankfully the doctor was at least coming around already.

"And he _would _kill a woman, because he is a coward at heart who hides behind his gadgets and technology most of the time." Brian commented, who had apparently heard the comment. "Sometimes I do regret helping ones like him."

Ellie nodded with a frown. Joker came by her then and spoke low, stepping carefully around the broken shards of glass with his bare feet. "He's going to pay for calling you a whore." Suddenly he shivered, clutching his arms. "Now can someone find me some decent clothes? This gown is giving my butt a chill and I'm getting goosepimples!"

/

End of Chapter 9

_Some author's notes: Yes I made up names for Punch and Judy, I like to create more detailed backstories for characters, although I don't plan on delving into their past too much. Ragdoll and Joker had little to no interaction in "The Batman" that I can remember, so I just pretend they are friends...besides I love Ragsy and I think he would be a cool ally for Joker. _

_I have always felt Riddler and Joker would be bitter enemies. There is an important reason for the story about his wife and Joker...you will soon find out in future chapters as she is not out of the picture yet. _

_The Labyrinth, and of course the whole idea of Estoria is totally made up, but it's a fanfiction, and that's what makes them fun ;) I like to create things for where there are missing gaps in the storyline. Besides Batman has his cave, and somehow no villains find it, or even if they do, they end up conveniently forgetting about it. (Ala Wrath and Scorn...) So why can't the villains have a place they can always count on when they need to lay low for a while?_

_Much more to come and my ideas are flowing right now, so stay tuned! Thanks to anyone still reading and a big hug for your reviews!_


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